The Pendant
by Much Ado 96
Summary: There was always a piece missing in Loki's story, leaving his transformation from solely mischievous to wholly evil a mystery. He didn't learn from just anyone, rather the best was his teacher, and her name was Anastasia. They struggled between good and evil together, their relationship growing on an unhealthy foundation. How does their story end? Pre-Thor and post Avengers onward.
1. The First Dance

Be aware that this is the story of Anastasia and her influence in the Marvel Universe and the first four or so chapters act as an origin story. This is looking into the psychology behind Loki's actions as well as Anastasia's, so watch out for those signs. But yeah, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Of all the insufferable curses bestowed upon her by the powers of the universe, this was by far their cruelest trick of the decade. She stared at what lay before her, her fists clenching in frustration while her muscles tightened, prepared to burst through her skin in a senseless tantrum. She had done everything her mere hands would allow to fix the broken heap of metal that she so desperately craved to. It had been almost a dream, tracking down the overlooked beauty and loving it until it purred for her, full of life and full of gratitude. But now the beast simply mocked her, almost earning itself the shattering of its glass.

"Bastard," she cursed under her breath before directing her rage into a more productive area; hurling the grease laden ratchet she held across the garage, her chest heaving unsatisfied as it riquiched off the wall to the ground with little disturbance. It gave her relief to know that at least she no longer had a weapon of which she could beat the troubled metal. "You win this round," she huffed as she strode out of the garage, making sure to pound her fist on the hood in farewell before pulling the door down, unable to make any further progress today.

Kicking at the dirt under her feet she pondered what she was doing with this whole distraction. It was a release, for one reason, working to fix something beyond repair with her own two hands rather than easily buying it. This Bel Air was her final conquest, the car that sent her into a frenzy when she caught a glance at one passing by. Repairing it herself only made the thrill of finally holding the wheel and pressing her foot greedily on the gas pedal so much more gratifying. Only for now did the beast elude her skilled, mechanical hands.

Before turning her attention to another task, she drummed her palms absentmindedly on the garage door, the contact almost aiding in the release of her building aches. She stopped after a short moment, deciding to head back inside to clean up, watching her feet kick up the dust of her ill lawn in disappointment, cursing the sky for torturing the land beneath her.

The house was tucked away through a handful of dirt roads that seldom caught the attention of drivers, besides the occasional teenagers that were ecstatic to go mudding further down the road when the weather permitted. It was a small white farmhouse, nothing special from the outside since she had little interest in slowing the impending doom of the structure, but it suited her needs well, seeing as it came paired with a two car garage and an extensive storage facility further down her driveway, hidden by a grove of trees. The boards of the house and its partnered garage were peeling of their faded white paint, even hanging in spots of distress, only worsening the image that it was tilting to the right, aided in efforts by the often relentless winds. There were no screens on her windows, which did not bother her at all, as she welcomed the fresh air when the breeze would flow through the rooms. In some places the glass was even shattered, held together by her remedy of super glue and duct tape. She had no time for such trivial things.

Inside it appeared slightly more well kept than outside, the walls clear of dirt with a fresh coat of light grey paint leaving the random cracks to be the only fault. The hardwood floors had been refinished into a dark walnut that was accentuated by the white trim and crown molding. But the face lift did not hide the squeaks in the wood or the deteriorating condition of the walls giving way at a creeping pace, and that is just how she liked it.

Her furniture was minimal besides a small, peacock blue couch and a minimal television that sat on an improvised stand of a couple stacked cardboard boxes. There was no desire to have immaculate living quarters, for she saw no purpose or gain in them. However, she did have a heavy duty black bookcase next to the couch, overflowing with the newest additions to her collection.

Sitting down on the couch she let out a deep, exhausted sigh, completely oblivious to the grease and oil that stained her hands. Life had begun spinning circles around her lately and she found nothing new that she could entertain herself with. There was no new realm to travel to, no celebration in the multiverse to crash, and no person to think on. She was existing once again, a feeling that led her to rebel centuries ago, which was a disastrous affair for all parties included; one that still haunted her. Residing on Midgard was not up for debate as it was all she knew as a child, spending her many years watching the world's history occur before her very eyes, and she dare thought herself privileged to claim herself a part of it. There was no mother or father for her to hold dear, no family of sorts, and definitely not any real friends, though she had a large number of acquaintances. It was all she ever knew.

The main difficulty in her presence was the ever growing suspicions and the eyes that continued to watch her. She had many identities to humans, her current one being Amanda Johnson. Such a simple and plain name for one such as herself, but outside of Midgard, where lives lived as long as hers, she remained to be Anastasia. She would revert her current long, maple curls to her natural mid length, wavy blonde hair and her brown eyes would become their bright shade of blue and green. Outside of Midgard, she was a beloved guest in the greater portion of the nine realms, excluding Asgard where she seldom ventured. The kings and queens would greet her pleasantly, and even sought her counsel for she was undeniably wise beyond her years and well acquainted with all of their political affairs, but there was one factor she knew that they dare not speak of to her, and that was her power. They had no inkling as to what she was capable of, only hearing rumors of her haunting plunder on Midgard long ago, and that alone made them fearful of crossing her.

Anastasia let out another long sigh thinking upon it, preferring to think they simply respected her as an advisor and a friend to their kingdoms, rather than solely attempting not to make an enemy of her. Then there was the underlying knowledge that she didn't acquaint herself with Asgard formally because her power alone was enough to rival Odin's, and she dared not to go where she could possible be unwelcomed. That didn't mean she didn't explore outside the palace though, and the current idea sounded rather pleasant to her in this moment.

It was a custom to bypass Heimdall with her own means of transportation. All she had to do was remove her platinum shaded cuff bracelet that she constantly wore and twirl it once or twice and she'd be teleported to wherever she pleased. Now she was in a stall of the ladies' public restroom in the middle of the bustling town, as it was generally a safe place and avoided awkward glances. When she had first came to visit Asgard she made the mistake of requesting passage through the Bifrost. Though it was granted immediately and without incident, other than leaving Heimdall slightly confused, the real repercussions were on Midgard where the humans were tracking down the Bifrost's movements. Which then led to increased restrictions on use of the Bifrost, meaning it was no longer an option to connect Midgard to other realms.

But now she was once again Anastasia, her blonde locks bouncing gleefully about her head while her eyes shined bright, her body adorned in a nontraditional sleeveless dress that fitted her curves to her waist before flowing off. Contrary to her traditional black attire, her dress was lighter shade of green, leaving the stitching only to be black and the few accents around the low neckline and waistband were silver. It would also be slightly scandalous for her skirt to only find its way past her knees, but she cared not; she didn't live here. Her bracelet returned to her favored look, turning into a simple, silver pendant that punctured her skin, entering her bloodstream on the underside of her wrist and to the end of her forearm while three loose chains led from the pendant gathering to the ring on her middle finger. It must be the most elegant piece she wore for it was the symbol of her power, unbeknownst to others, and it served as her fairest weapon.

Swiftly Ana exited the restroom and thankfully met no glances from the other women until she stepped outside, where one of the older Asgardian women shaked her head in disapproval before continuing on her path. Come to think of it, most people were on this same path, making their way to the palace for some apparent festivity she knew not what of. She could tell that the shops she enjoyed snooping were not going to be open today, and the gardens would be absent of others to observe silently, leaving her with few alternative options to entertain herself. Her eyes scanned the women and their elaborate gowns, recognizing that though they were merely the peasants of Asgard, they had fine tastes for whatever this event was. She almost envied the way they lived their lives with such little complication, but the thought faded as she reminded herself that she was special, that she held a gift within her that no one could fathom.

"Are you alright, my lady?" a gentleman questioned her, interrupting her train of thought. She turned to meet the eyes of the intruder and saw that he was slightly older than she, his brown hair set nicely upon his square head, and an unimpressive beard attempting to grown around his jaw.

Ana knew the meaning for his asking, for she instinctively carried herself with her head high and her face utterly unreadable, but not blank or unpleasant, rather indefinable with a quiet confidence. "I am well, thank you," she answered politely as the gentleman nodded to her curtly and joined the rest of the march to the palace.

Should she go? The thought was thrilling, entering the palace for the first time and seeing what trouble she could get herself into. She had heard from many tales about Odin, Frigga, Thor, and Loki, the dysfunctional royal family that they were, and she was all the wiser to know why, her eyes seeing clearly through all of their charades. Odin, prized son of Bor, Frigga, his queen from Vanaheim, Thor, the ignorant yet handsome prince, and Loki, the mischievous prankster of a prince. Oh, the fun she could have invading their celebrations!

'I'm going,' she decided.

With a flick of her wrist she was inside the palace, bypassing all of the guards at the front, making the transition much easier as she followed the even more elegantly dressed nobles to the main event, slipping in the crowd inconspicuously. She wasn't very impressed as she observed her surroundings, finding the elaborate golden walls far too predictable for her taste.

The ceiling was ridiculously high, allowing what could have been three extra floors of space go to waste while large, intricately carved columns rose from the floor to perhaps the roof of the palace. The marble floors danced in the shadows of the guests as each took a step, ignoring the wonder that was light while music echoed throughout the great, hallowed halls, the sounds reaching her ears while another tune would begin. The mass of people began fitting tightly together, impatiently waiting for the grand doors to open so they could begin to enjoy the party.

Her dress was every bit as extravagant as she could conjure up. It remained sleeveless out of habit, but this time it was black, hugging her breasts and her waist before it flowed outward to the floor, dragging an inch or so behind her. The slightly lower neckline was decorated by swirling gold accents, swerving their way uncontrollably but yet lightened the sights of the barely textured fabric while gold lace decorated her waist, effectively calling one's attention to her curves. What was probably more shocking was the golden lace covering her bare back, thinly woven together as to intentionally display the most skin she would be allowed. Her hair was restrained to curls across her back and over her left shoulder, a simple braid keeping it all in place so she wouldn't be needing to constantly be adjusting it. The pendant imbedded in her skin remained, only it changed shade into an appealing gold to match her dress, littered in a rainbow of gems that gleamed in the light and shadows.

By Asgardian standards, she was beautiful, surely to be expected as one of the wealthiest maidens in the realm, which was technically true, though she carried herself horrifically well without utilizing any form of currency. She could feel the eyes of onlookers on her, men eyeing her figure while the ladies sized up their competition for the hearts of the noblemen. Such acts humored her as she saw them pathetic, watching these people voice their own insecurities so openly, while others were oblivious to this, lacking the trained eye. There was no competition for the other women because Ana had no interest in romantic affairs; she was only looking for an evening free of stress.

The golden doors suddenly creaked, slowly being opened while the guards pretended not to struggle under the massive weight. Then the guests began hurriedly walking into one another, not exactly pushing as nudging aggressively polite, seeing as they were to behave respectively as nobles. Their mumbles grew louder with primitive excitement, herding together as wild animals often do to ward off predators.

Ana found herself on the edge of the crowd, watching everybody pile desperately through the doorway while she waited for them patiently. She spotted the guard standing next to the door, head up and at absolute attention, his hand at the ready should there be any trouble.

"Good evening," she greeted as she walked over to meet him. She saw that his body suddenly tensed, unaccustomed to receiving acknowledgement of any kind by guests. "On behalf of everybody passing through I would like to thank you kindly for holding the door. I see it is quite heavy."

"You are certainly welcome, my lady" he stuttered, slightly uncomfortable with the fact Anastasia's hand was delicately tracing the width of the door that was very near his armored shoulder. "They are not as heavy as they appear," he noted, smiling before he met her eyes, then quickly looking elsewhere.

"Perhaps you might find time to enjoy the party some time," Ana suggested, turning herself in preparation to enter behind the dwindling crowd. She merely received a nod from the guard as she left his company, still confounded by the friendly maiden.

The partly had been in full swing for some time apparently, judging by the number of wasted gentlemen and the shouting of their wives, calling them to stop drinking while they liberally guzzled their wines. More important persons were arriving fashionably late, she assumed, but the fact was insignificant since no one paid mind to the people entering the floor. The music had calmed down, allowing guests to take a breath from dancing and gave them a chance to socialize and make fools of themselves. Drunken parties were never very relished by Ana unless she partook in the drunkenness, which seldom occurred for her tolerance was suspiciously high.

As she made her way to the grand table to grab herself a bite to eat she was only ran into several times, not hard enough to knock her over but enough for her to mumble curses at the fools. Upon reaching the table she found only one man to be eating and quickly identified him as Volstagg. She had made his acquaintance several times while shopping for new delicacies in the market, and his word had yet to steer her in the wrong direction before.

"Your reputation far exceeds you, my friend," she laughed, placing a light hand on his shoulder.

"Lady Ana!" he boasted upon seeing her, immediately rising to properly greet her and lay a flavorful kiss on her hand. "You look absolutely stunning, but here," he grabbed a chunk of meat, "you must taste this at once." His ginger beard was bouncing in excitement, picking up with their dynamic instantly.

She took the meat without hesitation in her bare hands, quickly biting into the skin as if she were eating barbecue back home. "This is splendid!" she exclaimed, her mouth full of the meat, leaving her to unsuccessfully cover her her mouth in an attempt to be ladylike.

"Sit, sit!" His jolly words came, gesturing for her to sit next to him. "I assume this is your first visit to our palace and first experience at one of our celebrations, therefore I must teach you how to dine properly!" Before she could answer he was piling food on a rather large plate, including various foreign meats and ripe fruits and savory vegetables that steamed as he lifted them to the plate. She couldn't help but let her mouth water at how delicious it all appeared and smelled.

"I wouldn't know where to start," she giggled, staring almost shocked at the mountain of food he placed in front of her, then remembering the chunk of meat still in her hand before tossing it into the pile.

"I recall you saying you are not fond of mixing your meals, but I insist you do so tonight. You must have the full experience or I will have failed you greatly, my lady." With that he went back to tending his own plate, devouring each piece as if it were to be his last, though the trail was never ending. Meanwhile Ana stabbed at the food, trying to experiment with textures and flavors as he wished, and she did not regret his advice at all.

When a moan escaped her mouth Volstagg turned to her, surprise written all over his face. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you found your first love," he chuckled, "Your land must severely deprive you of such flavors!"

"It most certainly appears to be this way," she agreed, taking a sip of wine from his goblet without concern. "I'm keeping this now," she glanced at the goblet before swirling it for another sip.

Within moments the now empty cup was stolen from her grasp as she her words booming behind her "You cannot keep this empty goblet!" Then there was the sound of glass shattering on the ground while the same voice yelled "Another!" and the entire room cheered.

"That wasn't very necessary now," she turned, near chastising the man who took her drink, whether it was empty or not. When she recognized him as Thor, she didn't so much as flinch, rather excited at the chance of mouthing off to the future king of Asgard. "I prefer to smash my own goblets and yell for another."

His blue eyes were nothing but amused, clapping Volstagg on the back, "Now where in the Nine Realms were you hiding such a spirit?"

"She is a friend of mine from the market," he answered simply. "Thor, meet Lady Anastasia. This is her first venture into the palace and her first party, and I have already taught her to enjoy the feast!" He slapped the table gleefully before stuffing his face once more.

"Is that so?" Thor grinned. "My, any friend of Volstagg is a friend of mine indeed. We shall show you one of the greatest experiences of your life. Please," he held out his hand to her, "let us dance in merriment!"

Ana gracefully took a goblet from the tray held out to her by a servant, ignoring the Prince's outstretched arm to her. "I would have to politely decline such an offer at the present moment," she told him before tasting the new wine. Setting it on the table she continued as she saw his hand fall in disappointment, "As you can see I have made a commitment to my meal, for I clearly need more sustenance."

"My lady," he laughed, his gaze turning to her body innocently, "Such talk is nonsense! You are positively radiant this evening. But do not fret, I shall come retrieve you shortly!" With that, he grabbed her hand from her lap and brought it to his lips, placing a friendly kiss upon it.

She snatched her hand back, "I would expect nothing less." She laughed to herself at the fact that so many Asgardian men felt the need to kiss the hands of all the women, but she didn't fully object to the action. After Thor left, taking with him the servant's tray of wines, to speak with several other guests, Ana returned to her plate, eating in comfortable silence beside Volstagg, amazed at how much his stomach could contain.

The voices around her back became increasingly quiet, eventually slowing to whispers as she was made aware of the clanking of her utensils on the plate. Ana turned in her seat to get a better look at what was going on behind her, deciding to stand on her chair, surprising Volstagg by using his shoulder to balance herself. Over the heads of the crowd she could distinctly see the King leading his devoted Queen through the doorway to the open floor and it dawned on her that the king was much older than she ever imagined and even though he carried himself strongly, there was no mistaking the age in his figure. The queen, however, appeared as young and beautiful as ever, her peaceful smile reminding her of the lovely Vanaheim. He shined in his golden armor while she flattered him in her coral gown and matching golden breastplate. If there was anyone in Asgard she admired, it was Queen Frigga.

"Sit down!" She heard Volstagg urge her, tugging at her skirt for her to obey, but it was useless. She slapped his hand away annoyed and returned to watching the two most respected people in the Nine Realms approach the dancefloor. By no means was she starstruck, rather she was once again excited, wishing that she could at least make the Queen's acquaintance, but she remained nervous about Odin, not that she made it apparent. The fact that he was not in possession of Gungnir, the weapon she feared most in the universe, allowed her to relax only slightly, still on edge in this new environment regardless of the amount of adrenaline flowing through her.

For the briefest of moments the Queen met her gaze, a smile crossing over her peaceful face before she nodded to Ana in some form of recognition. Her heart thumped inside her chest; nerves she hadn't felt in decades were creeping up her spine, sending spurts of energy uncomfortably through her body. This was not the place nor the time to lose control for shortly she would be speaking with Frigga who she hoped bore purely good news, but judging by the way she quickly averted Odin's attention explained otherwise.

Music began to fill the hall as the supreme leaders began the first slow dance of the evening, despite the fact the party had started long before. Ana removed herself from her temporary perch, only to find Volstagg gone and the crowd splitting into pairs, joining the King and Queen for the dance.

"My la-" a voice commanded, suddenly shocked the moment his hand contacted her skin, sending a painful tingle down his arm to the tips of his fingers.

"Dear," Ana covered her mouth embarrassed, immediately recovering her wits and control. "I sincerely apologize. My gown creates unbelievable static," she excused, trotting over to the man she unintentionally harmed.

He shook his head, shaking out his arm in clear discomfort, "Please, make it up to me with a dance."

She cocked an eyebrow at him before taking his other hand as he led her to the floor. They made their way towards the middle of the couples and she easily deduced that this man viewed himself as more significant than the others. He held onto her right hand, placing his free one fairly low on her waist, sensing the warmth of his fingers through the thin lace.

"I don't think that is the way you shock most men, is it?" he eventually grinned, his blue eyes shining flirtatiously as he flipped his disheveled blonde hair from his face.

"Not normally, but it lasts the same amount of time I reckon," she smirked, feeling playful, though that was as far as her thoughts carried her.

"Oh," his eyes widened, not expecting her to join him in his innuendos. "You must handle yourself like an expert to achieve such heights so quickly?"

"Definitely," she gasped as he pulled her in closer to his chest, dancing into her rather than with her. "You have already gotten a taste, but I assure you I tend to begin elsewhere."

The man furrowed his brow at that line, "I assume you have as steady a hand as I, for my sword is the most versatile."

"Immensely so," she nodded. "I have handled several of such worth before, and I promise they were all left shining bright."

"My lady, your tongue is too quick and it is quite misleading, teasing a charming fellow as myself in such a manner," he chuckled, playfully chastising her.

"I am doing no such thing," she argued, spinning under his hand as he pushed her away, bringing her back close to his chest. "I am merely making casual conversation, though I must confess I have mastered a number of different swords; I only hope we are speaking of the same one."

"You are too much!" he raised his enthused voice, pulling away from her, stopping their dance. He pulled her hand to his lips for a gentle, lingering kiss, "I am talented in many things besides with my sword." With that said, he turned away from her, eyeing a younger woman in the distance before chasing after her.

That man surely had to be Fandral, since Volstagg's description of his antics fit perfectly. She watched as he strode across the floor, a bounce in his step and a smile so wide she need not see his face to feel its infectiveness.

A finger tapped on Ana's shoulder and she spun around to meet the owner, her words escaping her mouth without thinking, "I suppose I was feeling a bit horny," she glanced up at the man's helmet. When she met his eyes, she instantly regretted meeting the younger Prince with such an inappropriate comment.

Before she could utter an explanation he took her in his arm, snatching her right hand in his left, allowing his right to rest along her waist. "I understand that Fandral has gotten into you already," he spoke innocently as he led her into the dance, but his underlying meaning left her only to glare at him.

"I am not _that_ easy. He related to my nature, which is something I tend not to hide," she retorted, poking at the overzealous armor on his shoulder. "And speaking of nature, I could get the idea that you are overcompensating for something with such a helmet."

His grip on her tightened, his fingers passing through the wide lace, digging into the skin of her back as he brought his lips near her ear and warned her, "Do know you are speaking with your Prince." The sudden roughness caught her off guard, but she did not react, her gaze remaining steady and light.

"Do know that you are not anything to me," she retaliated, unphased by his tone. When she felt him slowing their dance, she pushed him forward, resuming their pace. Tales of this man's stubbornness roamed the realms and he clearly had never encountered a woman like her, having the audacity to shrink from her jest.

"My brother did warn that you had a spirit," he scoffed, looking off momentarily before returning his attention to her. "But do tell, Lady Anastasia," he accentuated, "who are you really?"

"Exactly who you think I am." Her eyes followed his as he raised her right arm to get a better look at the jewelry on her arm. She had a feeling he suspected she was the woman of which legends were written and horror stories were inspired, but his calmness worried her.

* * *

Loki inspected the jewelry, intrigued by its elaborate designs and by how seemingly pointless the accessory was. But even more intriguing was the woman in his arm, dancing with him, keeping herself his equal, even guiding him when she wished for a change. When his steps were too large, she pulled him in and when he turned too much, she straightened him out. The feeling was utterly annoying.

He glanced down at her face, the top of her head barely reaching his chin. Pools of enchanted oceans lay within her eyes; blue and bright, with luscious green around her pupil, but they were unreadable. There was no sign of fear, nerves, curiosity, or even attraction, simply brightness staring back at him.

Frigga had pulled him aside momentarily after she had her dance with Father to quickly share with him her recent discovery about this young maiden, mentioning the unseen 'blood magic,' which was only heard of in stories since no one could attain the power to perfect such an art. And here was this woman, of perhaps legends, dancing without a care, appearing to be having a pleasant time teasing him.

"You are incredibly vague, my lady." His plan would be to charm her with his words. A woman of her caliber could not resist the tempting language of the man said to have a silver tongue, he was sure of it.

"What would you like me to say, _My Prince_?" She hissed at him with her last words, having little respect for his position as royalty. And before he could snap at her, she pulled away, lifting his arm with hers then turning herself under it, the gold of her dress shimmering, then returning to his grasp, placing herself in rather close proximity to him.

Loki played along, although he was conflicted on whether he should punish her for her ignorance or continue tempting her. "Watch your words, darling. We wouldn't want you saying something you might regret."

He watched as she rolled her eyes at him, hiding the surprise in his own at how comfortable she was with him to behave like a high class temptress. If she were any other woman she could easily be brought up on charges for her actions this evening, and she clearly realized that she held some immunity. "I would expect you to appreciate my honesty," she poked at his armor, tracing her fingers over it softly before reaching for his emerald cape. "I generally do not approve of capes, but the look suits you quite well."

A smile crossed his lips before he had the chance to stop it, "I am well aware. And if you wish to be honest, I would be more than willing to lend an ear." He glanced at her arm again, "But I must ask, what is the purpose behind this?"

"It's just jewelry," she shrugged, her eyes unblinking, staring straight back at him.

"You're a talented liar, my lady, but perhaps not as good as you may have thought." He ran his fingers over the chain and the pendant, watching her gaze drift to his touch, trying to identify some logical conclusion.

She eventually snatched her arm away, restraining his curious hand in hers, "I do not lie, though I confess I tell partial truths."

The lady was clever, he would admit that. Her responses may be vague, but they were specific enough to ward off another question that would be slightly rude. If only he could get inside her head. Her mind must be wonderous. She appeared to be far more intelligent than most Asgardians, seeming to have experienced many worlds beyond her own, compiling that knowledge over the centuries and transforming herself into the woman before him. He could see it in her eyes. And she was far too pleasant to be as murderous as stories have depicted her, but then again, not everyone is who they appear to be on the surface.

Her hair was shorter than most, falling a hand's length past her shoulders and there was a lack of perfection about her, though she still remained beautiful by all means. She was blonde, but it wasn't solid, mixing in shades of her blonde and light brown around her round face, but her facial features not accentuated, however, that aided in the peaceful and honorable look she maintained even through her vulgar talk. A mole poked from her skin next to her right eye, somehow serving to break up the symmetry appealingly, drawing him back into her eyes. Her lips were voluminous, the bottom one slightly bigger, brought to life with blood red lipstick that wasn't tacky in this instance. The entire ensemble that was her body and her dress were charming, yet stunning at the same time, combining two of his own signature colors. His gaze trailed lower, her neck was long and proportionate to her head, the skin bare where it met her shoulder and he could make out her collarbone. And even lower-

"Do you want to fuck me?" he heard her voice break through his thoughts, his eyes darting back up to hers in shock, but even more alarming was his heart pounding inside his chest, as if he unconsciously wanted to.

"Oh, so you can hear me?" she laughed, her hand patting him on the chest amusedly. "I've been trying to catch your attention but you zoned out on me."

He shook his head, trying to regain what senses he still maintained, her question mulling over in the back of his head. "My apologies, I was lost in thought. I suppose you're beauty has this effect on me."

"I hope you realize that I didn't mean it sincerely," she giggled, a sound that was infectious to him, and he couldn't help but smile.

"I recall that you tell partial truths is all," he smirked. When she bit her lip and averted her eyes, a small tingle ran through him as he watched her, fully believing what he had told her, wondering if she could see it herself.

When she opened her mouth to speak, her words were stilled by the sudden stop of the music, and they paused their dance, but Loki didn't let her go, keeping her exactly where she was. She didn't pull away from him either, and there was a surprising comfortability between them to be content being so near one another without purpose. There were mumbles around them and he was made aware that others were watching them, so he reluctantly released her as she searched around the hall.

"My friends!" he heard Thor erupt, his mood instantly dulling. "Let us celebrate in merriment! Quicken the music and let us rejoice!" Once he concluded the laughter began again, the music picking up dramatically as people danced rapidly around he and Anastasia, bumping them closer together as they both tried to deduce what just happened.

Then came the thundering footsteps of his brother drawing closer. Ana snapped out of her confusion, grabbing his hands in hers so she could speak without being dragged away. "I must be going now," she nodded in the direction of the incoming Thor.

"I would run as well," he joined her in reality, slightly disappointed that she would be leaving so soon. "But before you depart, the Queen requested I ask you to join us for breakfast in the morning." When he saw the conflict in her eyes he added reassuringly, "It will only be the Queen and myself."

"Very well, Loki," she responded quickly, the footsteps growing nearer. "I shall see you then."

He could have sworn she was going to place a kiss on his cheek when he pulled him to her level, her eyes obviously searching for a spot, but his helmet blocked any proper kiss. Though he was still offered a final touch as she placed her hand partly on his face, her thumb rubbing a circle near his eye before she pulled it away and smiled at him sweetly. As soon as it happened she turned and walked away quickly, as if sensing Thor was closing in and preferred to maneuver through the dancing crowd rather than dance with him. The feeling she brought to him was strange as he watched her disappear, her hands lifting her dress slightly to avoid it being stepped on and he couldn't help but take lay his eyes down her back, not noticing how revealing it was until now.

"Brother! Did you scare off Lady Anastasia?" Thor gripped a hand on Loki's shoulder and shook him friendly as he stood beside him.

"No, that was your own doing."

"I promised her a dance and a memorable evening!" he sighed, not too upset over the fact.

Loki didn't deliver his usual jest this time, his gaze still following Ana.

"Brother?" Thor lowered his tone, getting his brother's attention from where Ana had disappeared. He made the connection instantly. "Do you fancy this maiden?"

"Do not be so ridiculous." He should have bit his tongue. Thor knew him better than anyone, and he'd see right through his defensive words.

"I did tell you she had a spirit!" he slapped Loki on the back in excitement, almost causing him to fall forward. "I do hope we see more of her if this be how you feel," he spoke genuinely.

"Indeed, though I do not know under what circumstances," he joked. The feeling in his gut made him uneasy, finding himself wishing that she was not who Mother thought she was. If it were true, he just might find his next mischievous act to be with Lady Anastasia.

"We must celebrate!" Thor chanted. "We need ale!"

Loki shook his head, but smiled at his brother's happiness. Tonight he might actually decide to join Thor in celebration, considering the circumstances.


	2. A Misunderstanding

The skies were just beginning to brighten this cool morning, an orange and pink rainbow dancing around the palace, discoloring the surrounding planets. Frigga had summoned Thor to meet her so early for the purpose of sharing her plans and putting his mind at ease, hoping that he would understand her reasoning before Odin got to him.

"Mother," he greeted her tiredly, forcing a smile to brighten her day.

"My son, how are you this morning?" She embraced him quickly, before walking with him out to her balcony to enjoy the coming of the day.

"I am wonderful," he yawned, leaning himself over the rails, taking in the view of Asgard from a different angle.

Frigga sighed, folding her hands gracefully in front of her as she began to speak. "I wanted to inform you about our new visitor. I'm sure you have already made yourself acquainted with Lady Anastasia?"

He perked up at the mention of his brother's fancied maiden. "Oh yes! She is delightful. Even Loki is enthralled with her," he hinted, the tiredness he felt suddenly fading.

"Yes, well, she is not of Asgard or any realm we know of," she saw her son's smile begin to fade. "I have spoken extensively with the queen of Vanaheim and she informed me of a young maiden that they have been receiving visits from, and has the entire court on edge. When I asked her why would they fear a harmless girl, she went on to mention that this maiden possesses a power we call 'blood magic.' You have heard the stories about what she has done and the chaos she has created. She is Lady Anastasia." She paused, waiting a moment to let her words sink in.

Thor stared out over the city, his mind grasping what Frigga had told him. He remembered the tale of how a woman murdered dozens of innocent people by expelling their blood from their bodies with a wipe of her hand. The image alone made him shudder. "I thought blood magic was only of legends?" he asked, worry written across his face.

"That is what we suspected and hoped, but unfortunately it does exist. We do not, however, know what she is capable of or what is fact and what is fiction in her history." The Queen stood calmly looking between her son and her handmaiden working about her private chambers. She wanted Thor to know the truth and that she and Loki were handling it.

"So this Anastasia possesses a power which we know nothing about?" He began to pace, running a hand through his long, unkempt blonde hair, seeing immediately how she could be a threat to Asgard.

"We have ideas of what she can do, but we do not know to what extent." She watched her son pace the floor, reacting the way she hoped he wouldn't. "Your brother and I are speaking with her soon over breakfast. I do not feel as though we are in any danger."

Thor shook his head, "But you do not know anything definitely, therefore anything is possible." He paused, remembering speaking with Fandral last night. "She must have hurt Fandral somehow. He was telling us how she had shocked him and his arm was aching and weaker than he remembered. How can you justify that?"

"I do not know, but I will be sure to address that with her." She reached out and caught his chest in her hand, stopping his pacing, "Do not worry for us, Thor."

He ignored her. "What does Father say?"

"He does not yet know," Frigga sighed. "He will find out later today. I wish to have a chance to get to know the young lady before he attempts to imprison her."

"Why not just let him? We do not know her capabilities. From what we have been told she is a monster!" His voice grew angrier and more frantic; sensing this he took a deep breath, not wanting to yell at his mother. "She deserves to be imprisoned for her crimes," he said steadily before marching off the balcony and exiting her chambers.

"Dear," Frigga smiled weakly, clinging to her instincts that Anastasia was no threat. She only wished Thor would think wisely instead of jumping to such drastic conclusions. He inherited that from his father.

"Loki!" Thor's voice boomed as he entered her chambers again. "Loki fancies her. She could hurt him far beyond a mere physical wound." There was nothing he wouldn't do for his brother, but he always happened to put himself in the worst possible situations; situations that any other common person would avoid.

"I am well aware," Frigga tried to comfort him, meeting him just inside the balcony, placing a hand softly on his armorless chest.

Thor looked at her blankly, trying to decipher how she could allow Loki to be in this position, but then it hit him. "You saw them together, didn't you?"

Frigga nodded, a warm smile across her face. "There is something between them that wills it to be, though I do not know what or how. I saw them long before I realized who she was. The fates have their own plans."

"If she hurts Loki at all," he trailed off, mumbling to himself in frustration as he strolled out of his mother's chambers once more. Frigga's words went straight through him. He would have to tell Father as soon as possible to avoid certain disaster.

* * *

"Shit, shit, shit, shit," Ana grumbled as she stomped through her storage building, shaking her hands wildly in a futile attempt to ease the cramping. She made her way down the wide aisle to her lifted '67 Ford truck that she saved for a rainy day. Today was a tornado.

There were no appreciative looks at the bodywork; it's glossy white frame and green stripe were thoroughly ignored as she climbed into the driver's seat. Her bones were aching and she could sense her muscles tensing. She needed an outlet.

Without hesitation she revved the engine, sending a short, easing chill down her spine as the tires spun on the cement, exhaust fumes quickly flooding the building as she inhaled them deeply. In the next moment she was off, speeding out of the door to the open field behind the building, the engine roaring furiously as she raced around the perimeter to begin. She drifted through the dry, dead field, kicking up waves of dust as she rounded the corners.

Her heart was pounding rapidly, the energy building inside her desperately clawing at her to get out. She wanted to scream, to just let go and forget the consequences and drift into the high that would result, the ecstasy of cleanliness she hadn't felt in centuries. No, she was determined to not let this control her. Her hands were glued to the wheel while her foot jammed the gas pedal down, hanging on for dear life, fearing if she let go all hell would break loose. Horrific itches began to sprout, the kind where she'd feel so tempted to scratch it'd result in her bleeding out, unsatisfied and still itching.

Why did she have to go and meddle where she didn't belong? Odin was surely going to try to imprison her after breakfast, there was no doubt there. She would be perfectly fine if she had the self control she had two days ago. Now, if one of the guards tried to restrain her, or even touch her, she could explode. And then she stole energy from Fandral? One of the most famous living warriors of the day, and she weakened him without even trying and there would be no healing him until she was under control.

Control. She clung to that in her mind, repeating the word over and over, hoping that it would sink in and her body would submit to her will.

Fuck me? Really? Her thoughts wandered again. She had to tease the Prince, and then she actually had to like it. Like him. She almost kissed him if his helmet wasn't in the way. Such foolishness.

Ana slammed her foot on the break, almost flipping the truck in the process. She didn't bother parking it or turning it off as she jumped out of the door, sweat drenching her back and falling down her face. Dying. That is how she felt, as if she was being strangled from the inside out. Her thoughts and her body were working together to torture her.

She screamed. It was terrifying as she fell to the ground, her body shaking and cramping to the point of almost being paralyzed where she knelt, feeling like she had the weight of the world pushing her into the ground.

"No!" she gritted her teeth, feeling the energy building to an unbearable height.

In an instant it was dulled.

She opened her eyes to find her hands buried in the dirt, her ears ringing, hearing only the sound of her heart beating rapidly and her gasping for air. Her vision became clearer in what felt like hours, but was only a matter of minutes. She didn't want to move; didn't want to see what she did, what she destroyed. Tears built in her eyes but she willed them away.

The sound of sirens brought her to reality. Her life as Amanda Johnson was over. She couldn't stay here any longer. Looking around, she was devastated. Everything was on fire. The grove of trees had been leveled and the earth had been cracked and was smoking. Her once beloved truck was in smithereens, burning violently as the gasoline enveloped what few pieces remained. Behind her, the storage facility was collapsed, also set aflame with the help of gasoline. Her house and garage caved in, spared for the moment from further destruction, but the fire was spreading quickly through the dry grass.

"No," she whispered, her head falling into her hands. At least she hadn't unleashed all of it and she could still feel the ache within her that she would have to face Odin with. For the first time in a long time, she was scared; not for herself, but for others who might fall victim to her uncontrollable rage.

As the firetrucks pulled into what was left of her driveway, she decided it was time to leave, taking one last look at the field she destroyed before teleporting herself to Asgard.

Back in the ladies' restroom in town she began to straighten herself out, healing the cuts she obtained during the truck's explosion. There was blood staining the clothes she had been wearing, drawing her attention to the gash in her left side where a stray piece of steel lodged itself. She cringed as she pulled it out, muffling her pained moans as she worsened the wound with her shaking hand. The blood in her body flowed rapidly, spilling out of the hole until she took the time to heal herself. With the metal out, she set it on the seat beside the toilet, meant for mothers who helped their children. There was an unmistakable pool of blood at her feet, but she thanked the fates that the room was empty so she could clean it up in peace.

Healing herself was a relatively fast event, just closing her eyes and allowing excess energy to quicken the regenerative abilities of her cells as blood vessels, organ tissue, and her skin were rebuilt in thirty seconds or so. It wasn't pain free though, and she felt the impact of the wound being reversed, changing from searing pain to nothing.

She let out a long sigh, her body finally relaxing as she vanished the blood and metal with a swipe of her hand before exiting the stall. Her feet were stopped when she caught her reflection in the mirror, realizing she was still Amanda and her clothes were tattered and stained; her face was exhausted and her eyes were dreary. Without daring to look upon herself again, she reverted back to Anastasia, her legs bearing a tight pair of tan jeans, slipping into black combat boots, and her torn t-shirt was replaced by a short, loose white tank top, all helping her to look refreshed. She also increased the size of her pendant and thickened the chains so it could contain and redirect more energy should she need it.

Now that she was finally put together, she could head for the palace to meet Frigga and Loki for breakfast, though she didn't expect there to be food. Walking was her best option seeing as teleporting there would be suspicious to the the guards since there was no longer a crowd to hide herself in.

The skies were brightly lit, giving her a chance to see worlds beyond Asgard that she couldn't see on Midgard. It would be a beautiful view to have this every morning when she woke up, but her luck was running out quickly, so she didn't dwell on it too long. The golden marble walkway was spotless, clean of any dirt that might have been tracked the day before and she could see in the distance shopkeepers opening their doors or at least preparing for the day ahead, but there was no time for her to shop.

The walk was lengthy, and it was worth the effort since the city was gorgeous, regardless of the fact there was far too much gold. There were luscious gardens at every turn, colorful flowers planted in beds along the path and benches scattered along the way should anyone need a sudden rest. And the closer she got to the palace, the more grand arches and larger than life statues she found, not that she could place any significance to them since she wasn't too familiar with Asgard's architecture.

* * *

Loki had joined his mother in her chambers shortly after Thor had departed, running into his brother in the grand hallway. There were no words exchanged, only Thor gripping him by his shoulder angrily, looking deep into his eyes before he softened and strode away. They often had encounters as such, but it was different this time. The anger was not directed towards him, rather it felt as if he were attempting to protect him, as he would similarly in battle, but they were not in battle.

He glanced around his mother's room, bypassing her concerned gaze as she stood in the doorway to the balcony. Only one person could almost always read Loki's indecipherable expressions, and that was Frigga, as she was the only person he let his guard down for. Today was another exception from his usual behavior, and thankfully she respected his private thoughts.

His mind had been racing the moment Anastasia caught his eye. Last night offered a decent distraction since he stayed and drank the time away, though he recovered from the effects much sooner than Thor. There was so many questions he wanted to ask Anastasia as his thirst for knowledge was unquenchable, as was hers evidently. If breakfast went as planned, there would be plenty of time for in depth conversations about the universe and possibly a few performances of her magic that he craved. The power that potentially flowed through her veins was beyond his imagination, almost unfathomable if he had not seen her with his own eyes. Blood magic, according to legend, was easily one of the most deadly gifts any being could possess, having the ability to expel the blood of enemies with the wiggle of a finger, or in rare cases, heal another of almost any injury. But there was no way to know for sure because these were legends and rumors, uncomparable to the truth.

If he could only learn how to gain such a skill, then it would be impossible for his father to overlook him any longer. He was a prodigy in magic, becoming greater in his craft every day thanks to his mother's guidance, but the future was limitless, and his chances were seeming more and more probable. But his chance to gain Anastasia's knowledge depended on how Odin reacted to her entirety, for his first instinct would be either to imprison her for all eternity or sentence her to the guillotine, though he feared neither could contain her.

"... Loki," her voice rang in his ears, his name like silk off her tongue.

"Anastasia," Frigga greeted her. "I'm so very pleased you could join us this morning." She walked quietly past Loki reclining in the coral loveseat to meet their guest in front of the door.

"The pleasure is all mine, my Queen," Ana nodded, avoiding Frigga's eyes, quickly taking in her surroundings with sharp glances, purposefully avoiding his own.

"Dear, there is no need for formalities here. Do relax and be yourself," she comforted her.

Instantly Ana's body released its stiffness, "Goodness, thank you," she laughed, shaking out her arms as if they had been cramped together in front of her for hours.

Still Loki was silent, simply observing, watching as she leaned all her weight on one leg, popping her hip out further as her other leg dangled behind her. Her apparel certainly wasn't of Asgard. No maiden aside from Sif had the courage to dress in what was often considered to be men's garb, but like Sif, it suited Ana and it was easy on his eyes. When she brushed her hair out of her face he saw her pendant again, noting that the chains were heavier and the metal imbedded in her skin was thicker.

She met his focused glance, clearly more comfortable without the requirement of formalities. "I mean, I don't expect you to stand and say hello," she teased, following Frigga's lead to the matching chair beside the loveseat.

"Forgive me," he rose, "I was lost in thought." His answer was true, but he surprised himself by the flirtatiousness behind his tone, recalling their conversation from the night prior. He caught her before she seated herself on an angle from him, "Good morning, Lady Anastasia," he spoke slowly, almost growling, her expression not faltering even when he bowed to place a slow kiss upon her hand, just below her ring.

"Common courtesies shouldn't need to be reminded," she shrugged, quickly sitting as Frigga placed herself between she and Loki. She turned to Frigga as he backed to his corner of the loveseat, "But truly, I do thank you for invitation to have breakfast with you. It's always great to meet one of the most respected women in the Nine Realms."

"I hope I live up to your expectations, dear," Frigga smiled.

Even the presence of Anastasia in a room brightened the mood. Her teasing coupled with her pleasantry was indeed contagious, even tainting his mother with a hint of sarcasm, all in good fun.

"And I hope you live up to ours," he chimed, genuinely meaning no harm, but he saw her jaw shift momentarily, unable to determine if it was nerves, anger, or annoyance.

"Loki," Frigga chastised him. "We shall speak of it over our meal, which shall be here soon." She reached to place a gentle hand on top of Ana's, resting on the arm, but she stopped when Ana sent her a warning look.

"I am glad to finally meet you Frigga, I really am," she leaned forward, resting her arms on her legs. "But I do not wish for you to walk on eggshells around me. If that were the case I would not have come here today. So," she rose, "if you have any questions or curiosities, just express it and I shall answer truthfully."

"Partially," Loki interjected.

"What's the difference to you?" she raised a brow, circling around her chair before seating herself once more, conjuring a goblet of wine in her hand to sip casually. Leaning back, she crossed her legs, making herself comfortable for the interrogation to come.

Frigga shifted in her seat, her graceful and kind demeanor being put to a test in a situation in which it could not thrive. "We have heard rumors that you have a power we know as blood magic. Is this true?"

Ana choked slightly on the wine, "Blood magic," she croaked mockingly. "It is not blood despite the stories you may have heard. I think of it simply as energy manipulation and in different cases, it appears to be what it is not." She paused, analyzing the Queen digest her words before meeting Loki's glance, his mind picking apart every one of her words. "Nor is it magic," she vanished the goblet she was holding. "It is not a skill which one can learn and it is not a skill one should wish to obtain. I do however know magic, but the two are not to be confused."

"Do explain," Loki urged her on, leaning forward, intrigued, her voice flowing through his head while he tried to comprehend her words and what was lying in between the lines.

"I think my son means to ask what can you do with this energy," Frigga worded carefully, respecting Anastasia as an individual, but unconsciously her power.

"That is quite the loaded question." She mulled it over for a moment, "Well, in the simplest form it is the taking and giving of pieces of something living." Holding out her hand to the Queen and Prince, a rat appeared in her palm. "It is not real, I assure you. This is simply for explanatory purposes. But you see, I can remove the the color of its fur, and I can remove the fur altogether as it is living and it is growing and changing."

Loki shifted closer, "May I?" he held out his hand. Ana took his wrist gently and placed the now naked rat in his palm. He could feel the warmth from its body, the claws of its paws, and the small movements of its feet and it felt _real_.

"This is the innocence in energy. What it is known for is the death it is so commonly associated with, but if you set aside ignorance, it is actually an art." Ana reached underneath the rat, her fingers tingling against Loki's hand, but when she pulled away, she had what appeared to be the animal's heart in her hand. "You see, it is not blood that keeps him alive, rather it is energy. As long as there is a connection between its beating heart and its body, it shall live. But if one were to break that bond," she squished the tiny heart between her fingers, "it lives no longer."

Both Loki and Frigga watched in amazement as the rat fell limp and lifeless in his hand. There were no utterable words that could express what they were thinking, though they were feeling as if they were in a dream, witnessing the impossible.

Loki stared at Ana blankly, their eyes trying to read the other's unsuccessfully. "Can you bring it back?" he asked.

She grinned at his question, obviously glad that he had asked. "As a matter of fact," she rolled the heart between her hands and he felt the rat begin to move once more. "Anything broken can be fixed."

He shot her a look, calling her out on her lie, or as she called it, the partial truth. He was not so gullible to believe that any wound could be healed, especially ones that inflicted indescribable damage to the body.

"What about the people?" Frigga asked gently, as if reading his mind.

Ana's smile faded instantly, her eyes losing their wonder and brightness, knowing very well what Frigga was referring to. "It was unfortunate," she said plainly, standing and retrieving the rat from Loki as she made her way out to the balcony, pulling the animal to her chest before it disappeared. His gaze followed her, sensing the pain in which she walked but the grace in which she carried herself, an internal struggle emitting from her.

"Did you?" Frigga followed her. Her voice was not threatening, only concerned for solely Anastasia, but she stopped in the doorway as Ana leaned over the railing, ignoring the view completely.

"Which version have you heard?"

Loki stepped forward, joining her on the balcony, his back stretching over the rail as he reclined. He felt the urge to comfort her although she refused to show the hurt inside, but if he had learned anything from these awkward situations, it was best he remain silent. The problem was that for once, he knew how to speak to someone in a way in which she would be receptive. "The one where you murdered two dozen men in cold blood in an instant by ripping the life out of them like you were snapping a twig."

She laughed, "It wasn't in cold blood. I blessed them for it did not last long."

He dismissed his mother with a nod, confident enough to take control. But confident wasn't the right word, he thought, rather he felt _comfortable_. Feeling as such was certainly unnerving, but he would reflect upon it later. Turning around he brought himself to her level, "So what's the partial truth?"

"Fuck you," she pushed him away, trying to be serious but failing to hide the smile that was creeping in on her lips.

"Fuck me?" he mocked. "If you tell me what I ask I just might let you."

"Your helmet suits you," she giggled, bringing herself from the railing back inside to the loveseat.

He didn't respond, his smirk saying all he needed to as he followed her and sat beside her, waiting for an answer. She ran her hand through her blonde hair as she sighed, her chest heaving as she thought of how to answer. The brightness had yet to return to her eyes and they were left a dull grey, empty to the searchlight in his own.

Ana pulled a leg up to her chest, wrapping an arm around it. "There is so much you are oblivious to," she began, clearly disappointed in the general lack of knowledge among people. "But what these people did to me for years, justified my actions. I do not wish to discuss my shortcomings, but when the chance came, I killed them all. It is that simple."

Loki nodded, waiting for that final detail that was on the tip of her tongue.

"Yes, it was quick, primarily because I was too infuriated to control it," she paused, taking a breath, "but I suppose the feeling of their bodies caving in and erupting through their skin was a decent amount of pain. Only wish I kept them alive long enough to comprehend it all."

His mouth curved into a grin, amused by her constant deflection to sarcasm. Her voice was steady and her words were true, but the bluntness behind her statement succeeded in the attempt to be humorous. There were secrets locked deep within her memory that could not be surfaced by simple picking; he needed the key and something told him that he would enjoy retrieving it.

* * *

This Prince was reluctant in his pursuits. Anastasia was feeding him a mixture of the truth and lies, and somehow he was managing to pick out which was which. And he was constantly staring at her, but it was not in the sexual manner she was accustomed to on Midgard or the fury of those who mistrusted her, but he was looking at her to understand her. Knowledge was their battle field, and he was on the offensive while she was throwing curveballs to ward him off the scent of the truth. Then, on another level, there was a sense that he could somehow relate to her, despite his limit to one life and one universe.

"As long as the murders were justified," he tilted his head momentarily, his hand following the motion.

She rolled her eyes, huffing slightly annoyed that he was returning her humor. Her attention turned to Loki, taking her turn to analyze him as he sat beside her only a couple feet away from her. His short raven hair was slicked back while he was adorned what could only be called his casual wear. Seeing him without all of his armor made him appear smaller, but taller at the same time, which was a decent trade off. He wore a simple forest green v-neck tunic covered by a sleeveless black leather coat that fell to just above his knees, gold lining all of the hems and his legs covered with loose black leather pants, followed by a pair of black boots. His body was angled towards her, his left arm hanging over the top of the couch while the other sat oddly in his lap.

"You should grow your hair longer," Ana observed. When he only shook his head silently she poked at his side with her foot, "And make an effort to dress in more colors than black."

"I appreciate the input," he waved her comment away. "You do recall that I am a prince, right? It is not appropriate to shove me with your filthy boots."

"That was a poke, but allow me to show you the difference," she pushed him over with a gentle foot to the side. It was not in her nature to treat him like he was anything special to her, and prince or not, she would push him around as she would anyone else, but the difference with Loki was that he would retaliate.

He forced a laugh, not knowing how to respond as he had never been treated like a normal person by a woman before. "You're eyes change their brightness depending on your mood," he told her, his curious eyes looking into hers.

"So you've noticed. I suppose you know as well what is light and dark?"

"I have an idea," he shrugged, rising from the loveseat and wiping the dirt from his coat where Ana had planted her boot, leaving her chuckling until he cleared it with magic. "You're not the only one who is a master of magic," he warned, walking to the large golden doors with Ana following behind him.

"I suppose I'll get my own breakfast on my way home," she teased. It was clear in her mind that breakfast was the Queen's intention, but when she had left, the food was not to be served for it would interrupt her conversation with Loki.

"We shall make up for the disappointment," he turned to her. She almost ran into him because of his sudden movement and he smirked at her surprise, "My mother will likely call upon you soon and during your next visit we shall discuss matters further."

"Your diplomacy bores me." Ana walked around Loki, not changing the distance between them as she placed her back to the door. "I will see myself out, _My Prince_." Since the opportunity finally presented itself, she placed her hand on his cheek and stood on the tips of her toes to place a lingering kiss on his other cheek. Looking into his eyes afterwards, she was fully satisfied, surprise written all over his face and he was left speechless.

The brightness in her eyes was conscious even to her, though her smile was devious. She opened the door with her magic, keeping her eyes locked on his. When the surprise began to fade, she slipped out and strode down the corridor, conforming to her usual regal act to ward off any suspicions. As she walked she could feel Loki's gaze following her as her boots sounded off the marble; she couldn't help but raise her middle finger to him, regardless of whether or not it held meaning to him, the urge was too strong.

Her high lasted briefly as she rounded the corner, stopping dead in her tracks, now seeing why the hallways were absent of others. There was a group of 17 royal guards standing behind the All-Father, Gungnir in hand.

"Anastasia, by my order, you are to be taken into the dungeons where you shall await trial for your actions. Come with us immediately or we shall use whatever force necessary." His words were dry and disgusted, as if he wanted to spit them at her but his conduct would not allow it.

She was silent. She wanted to go with them peacefully, but by their catching her off guard, she was nervous, and those nerves led to fear of losing control, which only furthered the lack of control she was experiencing. "Please," she began, taking a slow step backwards, trying to smile, "I mean no harm."

Without hesitation Odin spoke, "Guards, restrain her." He stood still as his guards strode forward towards her, leaving her only to step away back into the last corridor where Loki was leaning in the doorway of Frigga's chambers.

"No, no. Don't do this," she pleaded, forcing her arms behind her.

But the guards did not stop nor did Odin's devouring gaze. There was no other option, so she sprinted down the hallway, desperate to avoid physical confrontation. If she had her wits about her she could simply teleport away, but she couldn't. The clanging of armor and heavy boots followed close behind her, their yelling for her to stop going in one ear and out the other without effect. Sweat began to gather on her brow, dripping down her back while her body began to ache once more, only forcing her to run faster, to get away sooner.

As she was approaching the end of the hallway, she could see freedom in sight. She would escape through the doors and use her magic to lock it closed so the guards could not follow her. But her plans were shattered as the doors flung open, revealing another pack of guards coming towards her. Sliding to a sudden stop she turned desperately around the hall, shining gold armor enclosing around her, enclosing her in the most glorious Hel as light reflected from their shields and swords, almost blinding her.

"Please!" she shouted, bringing her hands to her temples, trying to ease the hurricane within.

"Resistance is useless," came Odin's voice, standing right in front of her.

Anastasia shook her head violently, but when she opened her eyes and met Odin's, her cause was lost and she fell to her power.


	3. To Meet a Monster

After Loki squeezed his way through the ring of soldiers, he was met with a sight to behold. Anastasia stood unyielding before the All-Father, her eyes black as bottom of the ocean, her sight focused solely on his father. In her hand she now held a long silver scepter chained to her pendant with two twisted sharp tips, meant to inflict the greatest amount of damage. It was terrifying, he would admit it to himself, but it was oddly beautiful, seeing the energy overtake her to her truest form, though it be of death.

Before he could insert himself in the middle of the conflict she struck, her scepter erupting in an explosion of color as it contacted Gungnir. The guards were at the ready, awaiting Odin's order to intervene, which would not be given any time soon.

Ana lunged at Odin, launching herself from the ground with her scepter, sending her feet into the center of his chest, knocking him right off his feet. She paused, waiting for him to rise for even in battle she aimed for an honorable death. To Loki's surprise, the scepter transformed into a dagger, his preferred weapon of choice. Both of them were relentless, Odin finally striking her with a blast from Gungnir on the ground as she waited for him to attack after she managed to knock him down once more. She was launched across the width of the hall, smashing into the wall, sending chunks of the precious stone toppling to the floor around her.

Still she rose, taking a moment to check the charred piece of skin on her stomach before Odin blasted her again, this time to her heart, which was surely a kill shot for a typical Asgardian, but Ana was no Asgardian. For a moment, Ana lay lifeless on the floor as he slowly approached her body, unsure of what to think. His father always spoke of an honorable battle, and here he was using his great power to kill this woman who held most precious information, but he was too angry to realize it.

"Father," he spoke. "She is not dangerous if you treat her equal. She possesses unfathomable knowledge and power. We need her _alive_ and _free_ to learn from her."

"Hush, my son. She is a threat to Asgard and the Nine Realms, and she must pay for her crimes against this universe." He raised Gungnir to deliver one final blast.

Before he had the chance, Anastasia rose, blood staining her white now one sleeved shirt, her wounds smoking as she walked towards Odin and Loki as if they were prey, once again holding her scepter. Odin fired another blast, but she redirected it to the guards with her hand, her eyes never leaving his, now tainted by a hint of fear that he could not hide. The grin on her face was completely evil, the thirst for blood oozing from her body as she stalked forward.

"Anastasia," Loki approached her, glancing at the small group of guards that lay unconscious on the floor from Gungnir. "You don't want this." When she looked up to him he could not see her. The blackness in her eyes absorbed every ounce of who she was and transformed her into an agent of death. "Father, this is madness," Loki redirected towards Odin, placing himself between Ana and Gungnir.

"Is it?" Ana stepped forward, inching closer to the All-Father. Loki recognized the sarcasm that lied behind her words, giving him hope that the Ana he had met was coming back.

"Loki! This matter concerns you not," Odin snapped, tightening his grip on Gungnir as Ana came closer.

"Let me handle this, Father. Please." He held out his hand warily, not daring to stand in Odin's way but trying to convince him to understand.

After a brief moment of eye contact, Odin ordered the guards to stand down. When they hesitated he raised his voice, "Stand down, men! Tend to those who have fallen." Nodding to Loki he took a step backwards, allowing his son to prove he was capable of handling this situation.

Ana had stopped stalking forward when Odin backed away for she was no monster or senseless machine of death that ignored a sign of surrender. "Merciful," he murmured, turning his body to face her. The blackness in her eyes had not faded, though her face was calming, her jaw was unclenched and her brow was relaxed. "Anastasia," he approached her, holding his hands in front of him to show he was no threat. "You are injured," he commented, allowing the concern he felt to be obvious to her. The wounds were now only smoldering, her skin was half charred while the other half was raw and bleeding, staining her shirt.

Their eyes were locked on one another. She was clearly intrigued by what he was saying, though it was not registering in her mind, but she did not feel threatened. "I am Loki, _Prince_ of Asgard. I wish to assist you, darling," he said softly, hoping he could reach her through her wit.

But she only tilted her head in confusion, squinting up at him as she closed the distance between them. "Loki," she pronounced, straining her memory in search of him, finally pulling her eyes and looking over him from head to toe, eventually returning to his eyes.

There was no lying that Anastasia was odd, her silence making him uncomfortable, but the darkness in her eyes ignited something within him that he had never realized was there before. It was a childish feeling, naive even, and it made him want to smile, to jump into the darkness and discover what lay inside it.

Ana held her hand up, waiting for him to meet her. "Wonder," she smiled, giving his feeling a word. Somehow she knew what he was thinking and furthered his own awakening curiosity by offering him her now empty hand where he scepter had been a moment earlier.

"Loki-" Odin objected too late as he took her hand unconsciously. For a minute he felt nothing, their palms were simply pressed against one another, but then Ana closed her fingers around his hand.

* * *

There was a wave of pain that swept over his body, as if all the nerves in his body were being triggered by her touch. He wanted to run, to pull away from her, but he was paralyzed where he stood and the world around him stopped. His eyes darted around the hall, seeing the still unconscious guards being carried away to the infirmary while the others remained in position, awaiting Odin's orders. The wall in front of him remained in shambles, the marble floors were now cracked and the wall was shifting, adjusting to the new stress of the structure. Even Anastasia was unmoving, her eyes still focused on him, the smile across her soft lips was subtle, but devious at a second glance.

As soon as he noticed that the pain had faded it returned, this time forcing him to close his eyes and grit his teeth, holding back the small cry that wanted to escape. That feeling didn't last long before he stood consciously in darkness.

"Wonder," he whispered to himself. He was aware of all that was around him; he could feel when he touched his arm and when he took a step forward. This was the darkness he had seen in her eyes, and instead of being afraid of it, the wonder took over him. There was no sense of direction he was facing or any idea as to where he was in the first place, but that was of no concern to him at the moment.

"Fire," came a man's low voice from behind him.

"Yes, sir," answered another as Loki turned to find the source.

A large glass container suddenly appeared in front of him, allowing him to see his reflection in it. When he spotted Ana standing behind him he was made aware of a harpoon speeding towards him from behind in slow motion. Then it sped up, too quick for him to analyze. It was too late as the blood spattered across the glass and a scream erupted in horror.

"Ana!" he shouted as he spun around, but the image quickly faded from him, her body impaled by that harpoon, falling limp to the floor. Now he was pacing, realizing that this was not reality; it was some form of distortion by Ana.

That was the only clear picture he saw as he hurtled through what he could only guess were her memories, drifting helplessly as she sifted through them trying to search for how she knew him. Many words were spoken by the faces flashing surrounding him, some words standing out over all the others, signifying their importance to her.

"You will do my bidding, witch!" thundered a ominous voice. A large purple and rocky face appeared in front of him as he spoke to someone who was likely Ana. "You do not value your own life, so I shall find one that you do, and then, only then, we shall meet again. We will see how much blood you can tolerate on your hands."

With those words the image also faded, returning to a fast forward reel of memories, coming to pass through a hall of murmurs of "madness" and crazed laughs that left him uneasy, ducking to dodge the words as he felt them attacking him.

But then the madness paused, time stopping as he was surrounded by a gorgeous black stallion, one fitting of a king to ride. He saw it running through the fields of Midgard, across the Rainbow Bridge, and even across the galaxy. It was peaceful to see, the horse even jumping from the images and frolocking around him playfully, but then lightening struck in the tunnel of memories, sending the horse crying.

"You're stallion is the first," came the deep voice once more, inherently evil as shrieks of pain filled his ears and he tried to drown out the sound unsuccessfully. He couldn't will his eyes to close to avoid the scene as the deadly man took the life from the gorgeous beast. But he also saw it rise. It rose furiously with the same darkness in Anastasia's eyes as it galloped through the memories hauntingly, never the same as it once was.

She seemed to be stopping where her mind was not at peace: the harpoon, the purple man, the stallion, all life changing events that were rooted in pain and suffering. Looking around he could make out glimpses of images, swearing to see Volstagg and Frigga once or twice while the rest of the faces were foreign.

Finally the memories stopped and Loki found himself surrounded by images of himself, relieved that Ana could remember him now and retrieve her senses once more. Curiosity did get the better of him and he glanced around the pictures, analyzing his own features and the way in which he carried himself. He was satisfied to say the least, though he wished now that her thoughts were available to him, not just her factual memories. It would be interesting to know what she thought of him, if she did at all.

* * *

As painful as the ordeal began, it ended, sending his nerves into a frenzy once more as he was transferred back into reality. There was Anastasia, standing before him, their hands interlocked, the guards moving painfully slow to the infirmary, and Odin's words coming back to him as life resumed as it had been before he took a trip through Anastasia's memories.

"-cannot trust her!" Odin's voice rang loudly as his hand was ripped from Anastasia's.

Loki ignored his father and stared at Ana who was backing away from him, confusion written all over her exhausted face. In her grey eyes he could almost sense fear, but he had no inkling as to what caused it.

"Take her to the dungeons," Odin ordered.

As the guards wrestled Ana to the ground her eyes were locked on Loki's almost pleadingly. They tackled her aggressively and dislocated her shoulder in the midst of restraining her. He could hear her muffled moans of pain as the guards continued to handle her roughly and the wave of pain from the wounds by Gungnir were hitting her all at once.

"Are you alright, my son?" Odin inquired, placing a concerned hand on the back of Loki's head.

"I am fine," Loki answered, unable to fully bring himself to terms with what had just happened. Yes, he had wished to peek inside her mind, but this was not the way which intended to do so, and he was also shocked by what he stumbled upon. "Is this really necessary?" He pointed out the guards mishandling Ana, who was undoubtedly resisting, but her strength was depleted.

"This way is safer for everyone," Odin sighed as he heard one of the guards being knocked over from a desperate kick. "I need to have a word with you and your mother about this incident."

Loki nodded, gazing around the wrecked hall, the wall still in shambles and Anastasia's blood streaking the once shining marble floors. His hand was only tingling now, as it would if he had sat on it for too long, but the images he saw were engraved in his mind, especially the purple creature who had threatened her. Nothing about what had happened felt right. Even his plan to befriend her for the information he desired was falling apart.

"Go to the infirmary and allow the nurses to examine you. We do not know how her power affects us," Odin said, the concern on his face fading away. After another silent moment he strode off to find Frigga.

* * *

Once the halls were cleaned and the prisoner was secured in her cell, Odin called for a meeting in the council's hall that evening. He stood tall at the head of the elegant stone table with Thor at his side, wearing an equally angry expression. The room was the same as any in the palace, the marble floors swirling with the fading light while the golden walls were illuminated by sconces, their carvings sweetly accented and shadowed. It was not particularly large since the All Father utilized the space rather infrequently and preferred to meet with his advisors elsewhere in secrecy.

Frigga entered the room as graceful as ever, her gown a flowing, but tasteful shade of blue while complete peace fell over her as if nothing had happened that day. Loki followed in shortly after her, a begrudging look on his face as he glared at Thor. His brother had the tendency to do whatever Father wished, regardless of whether it was right, hanging onto his side constantly trying to prove himself worthy by mimicking Father's actions.

"This was beyond irresponsible!" Odin hollered at Loki and indirectly at Frigga as soon as they were settled across from him. His fists were clenched as he stared Loki down, the disappointment in his eyes saying everything words could not. "Neither of you have any right making such decisions without my consent on matters where the safety of Asgard in question. She could have killed you, Loki!"

Loki considered remaining silent, staring at the ground as he often did when he was in trouble. He exchanged a glance with Frigga, receiving an encouraging nod to voice his opinion since he often forgot in these situations that it was relevant. "But she didn't. Nor did she you," he countered, rising up to meet his father's furious gaze.

Thor couldn't hold his tongue any longer, "Brother, Anastasia is a monster. She must be punished for her crimes against the Nine Realms." Loki was waiting for what nonsense was going to spout from Thor's mouth, and he didn't need to wait long, "You may fancy her but-"

"I am in no mood to be scolded from your simple mind!" Loki interrupted, his brother falling short of his expectations once again. It may be true that he felt some attraction towards her, but he was not so careless as to let his feelings cloud his judgement. "Father, she is not a danger to us-"

"Then what would you call the demon that attacked you and I? An ally?" Odin huffed. "I do not care what power she may have. She needs to be stopped whether it be through prison or death. The choice is hers."

"I do not believe you," Loki answered calmly. "Anastasia frightens you, therefore you must eliminate her from the equation. I know enough to be sure that wise kings do not act this irrationally." He was certain that Odin was afraid, but he also knew he would never admit it, yet he had the overwhelming urge to challenge his father in order to protect Ana's life. Ever since he held her hand he felt awakened, as if there was more confidence in him and more truth. Whether or not it was by her actions or by some other he did not understand, he had a duty to uphold the reputation of Asgard as a just world.

"I am trying to protect my family! My people! If you cannot understand that-"

"Is Anastasia not one of your people?" Loki interrupted, leaving Odin quiet to consider his question. "She may not be of any world we know of but she is here willingly, and does that not qualify her for equal rights to any Asgardian?"

Odin tapped at the table in thought. "She cannot be trusted," he finally decided, looking across the table at his patient wife.

She smiled lightheartedly, "It is only fair for Lady Anastasia to receive a second chance, as we all deserve on certain occasions." Turning to Loki, she placed a supportive hand on his shoulder, "I wholeheartedly trust and value Loki's opinion," and she looked back at Odin persuasively, "As should you for he is your son.

"Father," Loki began, feeling more confident with his mother on his side as took several steps closer to Odin, "You do not trust her, but I do, and in return she trusts me. It is that simple for her. She treats you as you treat her. If you would only let me speak with her I-"

"This is madness!" Thor challenged, meeting his brother halfway. "Who is to say she is not manipulating you? Your feelings toward her will only complicate the matter further. It is the right decision to keep her in the dungeons for the rest of her life." Loki glared at Thor, anger rising in his chest at his brother's ignorance. He had yet to realize that even the All-Father could have a change of heart.

"Honestly, Thor? Am I really the one who we should be concerned about melting into the hands of a beautiful woman?" Loki smirked, knowing very well that this was not a jest to be made in the presence of their parents.

"You are the one that relies on tricks to get what you desire," Thor retorted, invading Loki's personal space, looking for a brawl.

"That is enough!" Odin thundered. "You are children no longer! You are to act responsibly and fulfill your duties as princes," he paused, looking to Frigga for some kind of answer.

"I am here solely to be the voice of reason," Frigga shrugged. She was the only person in all of the Nine Realms that could talk sense into Odin when he was enraged, and today was no exception.

"Loki, Thor," Odin addressed his sons, "I want you to talk with Anastasia together in the morning. Put both of your concerns to rest yourselves." After a moment he added, "I do not wish for you to return this matter to me unresolved."

"Yes, Father," the two men answered in unison, clearly unsatisfied with Odin's ruling.

"Come now, my dear," Odin addressed Frigga, walking frustratedly past his sons to his loyal wife. Together they exited the room to converse further in privacy, leaving Thor and Loki to discuss plans for the morning. It wasn't the ideal situation that Loki was hoping for, but he felt a sort of pride in convincing Father that his opinion was worthwhile, and in the meantime he made a fool out of the mighty but brash Thor. The only factor that could hinder their meeting from being successful was Anastasia herself for she definitely would be upset about being hauled off into the dungeons.

* * *

There was no sense of night and day in the dungeons, Anastasia quickly discovered, so she simply relied on her biological clock. The guards were incredibly rude, refusing to offer her food or drink the entire day she was there, nor did they retrieve a nurse to put her shoulder back in place. It was a quick fix though, using the wall for support as she forced it into place with a few punches and smashes. The burns were also healed, though Gungnir had the ability to bypass energy that healed nerves, so she was still in equal pain since she had obtained the wounds. And since the guards also did not provide her with clean clothes, she had to conjure up her own including a pair of medium length blue jean shorts and a loose light grey sweater.

It wasn't surprising how rowdy the other prisoners were, constantly whining at the guards and fighting amongst each other. She was glad she got a cell of her own, though she questioned whether or not to stay, thinking it wiser to behave herself as best as she could.

What was plaguing her mind was what happened between she and Loki. No one had ever helped her out of one of her trances before, or at least one she knew of and survived. He should have had so much energy flowing through him that he should have died, but that was not the case. In fact, it was the opposite since she grew weak afterwards, as if he somehow took the energy from her. There was also the fact that he saw something in that short moment of contact judging by the way he stared at her, as if he discovered a disturbing secret about her.

How _did_ he bring her back?

Conveniently, just as she was thinking of Loki he showed up, but Thor was accompanying him. The heavy doors to the underground could be heard from any cell in the dungeon, but the rhythmic footsteps of the steel-toed boots down the stairs screamed Loki.

"Good morning," she saluted with two fingers as the two man came into sight. She didn't rise in their presence and instead she stayed sitting against the wall at the back of the cell, resting her one elbow on her raised leg while the other dangled comfortably at her side.

"Anastasia," Loki smiled, nudging his brother in the side uselessly, only earning a forced nod of acknowledgement from Thor. The two sat down in chairs outside her cell, Thor leaning back with his muscled arms crossed in front of him while Loki was leaning slightly forward, his hands folded together between his spread legs. They were both dressed in their usual armor, Thor's normal vest and Loki's regular complicated ensemble.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"We are not here for pleasantries," Thor said firmly before Loki had a chance to counter her question. "You are to answer our questions and that is all."

Ana raised a brow and stood up, walking to the front of the cell and looking down at Thor, "I do not believe that is fair," she complained. "If you wish to interrogate me you are going about this all wrong. You're missing the chains and the dark musty room that is supposed to intimidate me."

Thor rose and approached the cell, "You are our prisoner," he pointed an accusing finger at her. "Cooperate now and maybe we won't have you killed."

"You still are not understanding," she smirked. "I am not your prisoner nor can you kill me, though if you choose try, I do wish you the best of luck."

When he was about to shout at her, Loki rose and laid a hand on his shoulder to calm him. "Actually, I do believe you are our prisoner," he agreed.

Without a word Ana held out her hand through the shield that was supposedly containing her. "Did you forget that you use energy fields to hold your prisoners?" She brought her hand back inside, placing her thumbs in her pockets, thoroughly satisfied with their dumbfounded expressions. "I will respect your wishes for the moment regardless of how ridiculous this all is."

Thor turned to Loki in a whisper, "Did you realize this?"

"I did not," Loki answered, feeling bested.

"Well, now that you understand that I could have escaped any time I pleased, can we please proceed respectfully?" She stepped down out of her cell onto the cold stone floor, looking up at the still baffled princes.

Shaking his head Thor regained his focus, taking Anastasia tightly by the throat and lifting her in the air above him. "I am not playing your games," he warned. "We will do this our way or I will kill you right now."

Ana rolled her eyes even though she couldn't breathe. There was no doubt as to whether or not Thor would go through with it, but it was humorous for him to try. Grabbing a hold of his forearms she balanced herself and laid a strong two foot kick to his chest that sent him to the floor. "Is he being serious right now?" she asked Loki, rubbing at her throat.

Loki shrugged, "Thor, how about we just all sit down and discuss this civilly?" He turned his attention to help Thor up from the ground.

"She has you wrapped around her finger," he grunted at Loki, swatting away his extended hand.

"There is a difference between manipulation and intelligence," Ana commented, earning a jaw clench from Thor. "Let us sit," she patted the ground across from her as she sat, her back against the wall of the cell.

Loki gestured for Thor to sit first, remaining standing in case he needed to intervene should Thor lose his temper. Once Thor was comfortable across from Ana, he placed himself next to them.

"Shoot," Ana said, ready for the onslaught of questions.

Loki glanced at Thor who was still calming himself after Ana kicked him, "What is that?" he asked, pointing to her pendant. "And the whole truth," he added, earning an eye roll from Ana.

Of course he couldn't let that go, she thought to herself. "Well, once upon a time I actually had complete control of my abilities, but, and I won't bother with the details, some group of assholes decided to pump more energy into me than I could handle, hence yesterday's outburst. But this wonderful little accessory here filters my blood and redirects the energy running through it back into my bloodstream so I'm not constantly killing people and destroying things." She held it out to Thor and Loki so they could get a closer look. That was all she knew of the pendant as well for she was not the one who designed it; she only wore it out of habit if she was being honest with herself.

"What is it made of?" Thor asked curiously, almost fully recovered from his anger.

"Vibranium. Rarest metal on Midgard," she smiled. "I know people," she added, glancing at Loki as she said it. "My turn now. Loki," she thought of how to word it. "How did you get me out of my trance?" She could see it on his face his reluctance to answer, likely because he didn't have the full answer to it, yet he thought it over carefully.

Thor shot him a look of confusion, apparently not aware that Loki had done so. He ignored the look and spoke to Anastasia, "My father had backed down at my request and I tried to bring you out of it through your humor, which only did so much. But you didn't know who I was so you came up to me and offered your hand, and I took it," he paused. "I believe, from what I remember, you sifted through your memories to remember me."

Ana thought about it for a moment. "How would you know I did that?" she asked finally. When Loki swallowed nervously she knew the answer. "I see," she nodded uncertainly. It was something she had never experienced before, but she knew it was possible to allow another to access her memories, though the 'how' was a mystery.

Thor continued to be confused. "When we held hands I saw her memories," Loki simplified impatiently.

"What did you see?" Ana wondered before Thor could ask another question.

"I believe you could guess on your own," he responded, unwilling to fully see those images again.

"No," she mumbled.

"Tell me then," Thor interjected, refusing to take no for an answer.

She sighed deciding that saying it bluntly would downplay the severity of it all. "He saw me being impaled by a harpoon through the gut, a Titan threatening the life of everything I love, and that same Titan murdering my horse only to have him rise again." She did not look at either men when she spoke, attempting furiously to push the memories back to where they were buried. There was a reason she didn't mention the madness, and since Loki didn't question it, she let it go.

"Oh," Thor stammered, "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"Sure, sure," Ana waved away his apology. "Another question perhaps?"

"The horse?" Loki asked, attempting to find a safe topic.

"Good question," she laughed, getting to her feet. "If we go for a stroll I can actually show you. Plus I could use a little fresh air." It was obvious now that Thor felt guilty he would not object, and Loki was overly curious, therefore she had them both unknowingly in the palm of her hand.

"Shall we?" Loki asked Thor.

"We may, but not far," he bargained. "And one question before we go," Thor rose with Loki. "Where are you from?"

Ana shrugged. "If I knew I wouldn't be here right now. So to clear up any further questions on that subject, I do not know what species I am, from what world I originate, or who my parents are. I grew up on Midgard, which hopefully explains the clothes and the attitude." Her origins were not one of her favorite topics since it left her anxious, wishing that she could find out who and what she was, but then remembering who that she chose to be should be good enough for her.

Thor laughed slightly to her surprise, "You are a spirit, Anastasia," he patted Loki on the back to lead them out of the dungeons. He didn't comment either when Loki offered his arm to her as they walked out, even assuring the guards that there was nothing to worry about. The fact that she was being escorted out of prison by princes and with one on her arm left her in a dream state, remember all the discussions she had as a young girl with others about Prince Charming and becoming a princess. It was trivial, but she enjoyed the nostalgia.

"His name is Benz," Ana told them as they made their way to the street outside. The traffic was light so close to criminals, and it was also early in the morning so most people were still at home, which was ideal for the meeting. "It means blessed. It fits him well," she grinned.

* * *

Part of Loki was excited having Anastasia at his arm about to discover one of her secrets from herself, but the other part was nervous, questioning whether or not he could trust her. She was like him in so many ways it was alarming, but her company was beyond pleasant and even Thor couldn't help but begin to enjoy her quirky yet charismatic sense of humor.

"Pardon me," she excused herself, her scepter appearing in her hand. "Don't worry," she assured them immediately, "I'm not stabbing anyone today."

He exchanged a humored, yet wondrous look with Thor as she twirled her scepter in her hand several times before touching an end to the ground, sending a wave of energy through the earth that they could barely feel under their feet.

"It's harmless," she reassured them. "He'll be here in a moment. And just a warning, he's a bit shy. Oh, and he won't take you to Valhalla. Not today at least unless you scheduled an honorable death today that I'm not aware of."

"It almost sounds like you're speaking of the Stallion of Doom," Thor chuckled nervously, not wanting to believe it. Loki laughed softly, not wanting to believe it either. He was still pondering how her scepter operated, how it was connected to her and how she channeled her energy to a specific task.

And just like that Anastasia's devious grin appeared. It sent a shiver up Loki's spine that almost made him jump, but he held his gaze steady when she met his eyes. Hers were the bright blue that were imprinted on his mind, the adventurous and mischievous ones he felt attracted to. Thor must have noticed this, but before he could speak a word they heard the heavy hoofs pounding on the marble streets in the distance.

Over the street above them appeared Benz. He was as black as the emptiest galaxy, his dark eyes as deep and endless as the universe. His mane and tail seemed to be smoking as he cantered the rest of the way to Anastasia before galloping into her arms, almost knocking her over as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his mane.

"The Stallion of Doom," Thor gaped, not bothering to hide his amazement.

Anastasia laughed, grabbing Thor's arm and bringing his hand for Benz to smell and identify. "It may be a shock but there is more than one. Normally once a Stallion is chosen they never return if they had an owner prior, but since he was taken from be before his time, he was allowed to stay." She kissed the horse's neck, patting its flank at the same time.

Loki kept his distance, still taking in what he was seeing. Anastasia was not only from a realm that no one knew of but now she had a Stallion of Doom, one of many he now discovered. It made him question how she could possibly know all of this and he, who has read nearly every possible book on these subjects, knew nothing. It was frustrating and intriguing at the same time, serving as the now constant reminder of _wonder_.

Benz nearly ignored Thor altogether and instead walked over to Loki, stopping an arms length away, waiting for him to make the first move. Without thinking he held his hand out, the same way he had done with Anastasia, only when he touched Benz, there was no pain or journey down memory lane thankfully. What was odd was the heat radiating from the animal, which made the dead horse feel more alive than ever.

"I know what you're thinking right now," Ana came up behind him, catching him by surprise.

"And what would that be?" he scoffed, stroking the horse's head as it came closer, the softness of its hair running smoothly against his skin.

"Fuck me," she whispered, her warm breath on his neck, her lips only a short distance from his ear, the smell of mint invading his nose.

His eyes widened in embarrassment and confusion. That was the third time she said that word to him, all in different contexts, but they all had the same effect. What would she do if he actually did? His mind couldn't help but wander, exploring the idea of taking her for himself, throwing her up against the wall as he assumed she would like, grabbing her, biting her, _owning_ her. One side of the equation was exciting enough, but then he wondered about how she would respond. Would she submit or would she fight him for dominance? Would she take him for herself too?

"Mind out of the gutter," she shook her finger at him when she faced him.

Thor shook his head at Loki. He knew that Loki fancied Anastasia. The signs were all there, even he couldn't deny it, but acting upon it was a whole other story because the consequences were unknown and likely negative. But if Anastasia continued to lead him on, there was only one way the situation could end.

"Shall we ride to the mountains and finish our talk?" Thor suggested, easing the tension immediately.

"That sounds wonderful," Ana chimed, nuzzling Benz. They haven't been together in a decent amount of time he assumed. It was still a struggle getting his head wrapped around the fact that Benz was a Stallion of Doom, the horses fallen warriors would ride to Valhalla, and here was Anastasia who rode him regularly. She was full of surprises, whether they were good or bad, but he didn't care which.

* * *

The day was coming to a close by time the trio returned to the palace. Thor was relieved to find that Anastasia really wasn't a threat unless she was provoked, but he didn't fully trust her yet. They learned mostly about her past and her travels, which only created more questions that would be asked at a later date.

She didn't remember her childhood since her memories were erased many years ago, but she lived the majority of her life in America on Midgard. There were always threats of being discovered as an 'alien' so she had to constantly create new identities for herself so she eventually become a 'jack of all trades.' Loki was most intrigued by how often she traveled. Her pendant served as her own personal Bifrost, allowing her to transport herself to any world she desired as long as she was under control of her energy, focusing it all on one task. Other dimensions were also possible for her in special cases, but according to her, most ended in disaster. Neither he or Thor were aware of that possibility or ever fathomed the existence of other dimensions, though Loki always imagined worlds outside the Nine Realms, but they were childish dreams once upon a time.

After their discussion Thor decided that it was safe for Ana to stay at the palace, as long as she was in close proximity to one of them to watch over her. And since she was now relatively harmless, Thor offered her a room in the same hall as Loki's. The only thing left to do was to update Odin as to what they learned, which wouldn't be too hard considering that even the stubborn Thor changed his mind.

"I shall go speak with Father, you escort Anastasia to her chambers," he spoke to Loki, handing the reins of their horses to the stablemen. Benz had gone off on his own once they returned to the city, so the guards didn't have to deal with the shock of the Stallion of Doom as well as Anastasia's return.

"Chambers, huh?" she giggled, taking Loki's outstretched arm as he led her into the palace. "Such fancy talk."

"You talk fancy as well, darling," he noted.

"It depends on how I am feeling for how I choose to speak," she nudged him, an unwanted smile crossing his lips. She had that effect on him, her voice echoing in his ears leaving him to smile at the thought of her.

They walked together in silence up two flights of grand stairs, Loki watching her take in all of the details of the palace, clearly unimpressed, but interested nonetheless. Occasionally she would take a step off course and bump into him, but he pretended not to notice, seeing that she didn't at all. He also noticed that when one of the servants or guards came into view she would tighten her grip on his arm, either trying to protect herself or him. It was probably the former, even though he didn't know why she would, not that he minded since he liked the feeling of her strong presence.

"Your chambers will be down the hall from mine," he gestured to his room. "If you are in need of anything, simply knock" Two large horns served as the handles of his chamber doors so any passerby knew whose room it was.

"Define anything," she urged, squeezing his arm.

He knew what she was doing. The brightness in her eyes read flirtation and her playful and not-so innocent teasing was growing on him. He was getting to know her, though he feared she would never be predictable. " _Anything_ ," he pronounced, nearly growling as they reached her chambers.

"Just remember that, _My Prince_ ," she pulled out of his arm, relaxing her back against the door, preventing either of them from entering.

In dimming light, with her eyes reflecting the sunset out of the arches and her hair in a slight mess from riding and along with her shining bare legs, she was exquisite. No Asgardian woman would ever dare to tempt him in such a manner, but she perfected it, licking her lips unknowingly before she laughed at his focused look, his eyes glued on her, his thoughts clear but he couldn't help it. It wasn't fitting to say she was only beautiful because she was more than that. She made him feel emotions he didn't know existed and it filled him with excitement and urgency, but she was so relaxed he grew anxious and for a moment he wished Thor would have escorted her, but he knew this was an opportunity.

Loki took a small, slow steps toward her, stalking her like prey. She squirmed only slightly under his thoughtful yet seductive gaze and her laugh faded with his steady smirk. When he was only a few inches from her face, he whispered "Say my name."

He felt her heavier breaths on his neck and lips, carefully restraining himself from her, wanting to turn the tables and tease her. She looked up to him in what seemed to be need or desire, biting her lip as he moved in closer, her hands fiddling behind her back.

"Loki," she stuttered with weak knees as he slammed his fist against the door beside her head. Just when he thought he had her and moved in quickly for a kiss, she held up her finger to his lips, breaking the spell he was under as well. They realized that their bodies were nearly pressed to one another, but they remained still, the closeness feeling right for both of them.

Then Anastasia pulled her hand away, straightening herself up. "Not so easy," she grinned, pushing him back from her with her fingertips. "Only when you can't _live_ without it. Come to me when you _need_ it, when you can't _handle_ it anymore, when you _have_ to have it." She placed a quick peck on his lips, "Goodnight, Loki." Before it registered in his mind what just occurred she had closed the door to her chambers, locking him out for the night, the cherry flavor of her lips remaining.

Standing alone in the middle of the hall Loki stared after her, feeling both enraged and aroused by her. The way she spoke, accentuating her words precisely, drawing them out with the very purpose of making him feel her words like skillful touches. If she continued this he wouldn't last long, but she was not the only one who could charm her way with words, this she would learn.


	4. Something Broken

The next few days were rather dull for Anastasia. On her first morning as a guest in the palace she was woken by one of Frigga's handmaidens, who was determined to help her ready for the day that the queen had planned. She and the queen talked the days away, discussing her powers and options they had to help her control them. Trusting someone with such a fragile matter was difficult, but Frigga was nothing but caring and patient with her, something Ana was unaccustomed to, but she did not object to the change.

She spoke of how the nurses could analyze her body and collaborate with engineers to create an improved filter for her or perhaps discover a substance that could lessen the aches. It was refreshing having someone she could consider a friend, but Ana knew deep down that Frigga's fear of her capabilities was an incentive to help her. The fact that she attacked Odin several days earlier still haunted her, though Frigga eased her mind by telling her it was a misunderstanding and that he held no grudge toward her.

Frigga was also taken aback by how quickly Thor had changed his opinion of her since he was generally stubborn, though his initial meeting with Anastasia at the celebration offered support since it was such a good first impression. Even more surprising was when Ana introduced her to Benz, who took a liking to the gentle queen instantly.

The two women roved the palace gardens and mountain trails together, accompanied by several guards in the distance of course. Frigga explained to her the culture of Asgard and mannerisms that the people held esteemed, which was a subtle hint for Ana to try and blend in more. Both of them knew that Ana could change for possibly a day at most, but she refused to be other than who she was when she had the freedom to do so.

After two days Anastasia was disappointed about being unable to see Loki, mostly because she wanted to see his reaction to her after their encounter nights before. But the third day he had tracked she and Frigga down in the gardens, attempting to steal her away for a moment, giving up after Frigga continued to shoo him away. The tension between Loki and Ana was increasingly high, their eyes practically devouring one another as Frigga spoke. When she finally sensed the tension herself, she turned and took Ana in the opposite direction, rolling her eyes at both of them.

Ana vividly remembered their following conversation about Loki.

"I have never seen him so taken with a maiden," the queen commented as they made their way to the mountains on foot.

"To be fair, I am not your traditional maiden," she joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Nor is Loki a traditional prince. He is intelligent and cunning, but he is also mischievous. We speak occasionally about his future and he has made it clear to only me that he despises being second to Thor." Frigga sighed, pained for her youngest son, "For most of his life Thor received higher treatment than he, and that left him feeling as if he had nothing. That is why I taught him magic."

Remaining silent, Ana nodded, staring at the ground, listening carefully to Frigga's words, trying to figure out what she was attempting to tell her.

"Anastasia," she took her hands in hers and led her to a bench under the shade of a juvenile tree. "I have the gift of foresight as you may know. When Loki was just a young boy I had a vision of him laughing and dancing with a young maiden, being happier than I have ever seen him before," she paused, looking sincerely into Ana's eyes, "That maiden was you."

Ana squinted her eyes, "What are you saying?"

"I am saying that the fates mean for you to be with him. How else do you suppose he saved you from your trance?"

Frigga smiled gently at Anastasia. "Why are you telling me this?" Ana wondered.

"I am giving you a warning. Loki is a man who will not rest until he gets what it is he wants. He will act as if you are his and his only, which can be very dangerous, but I also believe you can bring him peace since your spirit is one to rival his." She place a hand over Ana's, "I want you to know you have my blessing as a mother and a queen."

"Thank you," Ana offered a weak smile when she couldn't think of anything more intelligent to say.

And that was the end of their conversation about Loki. It left her worried for her own safety, knowing that even Frigga could admit that he was dangerous, but then again, so was she. As Frigga explained, a courtship was a very proper affair that involved the parents of both parties and frequent supervised outings. The man's parents would select his chosen bride to be and the lady's parents could accept or refuse the offer. But since Anastasia had no parents and Loki was the rebellious prince he was, their 'courtship' would be scandalous for his family even though no one could say otherwise, yet Frigga approved of it.

For the first time Anastasia was considering allowing herself to be in such a relationship and being committed to one person indefinitely. She had her fair share of relations, but none could be taken seriously. Loki was a man who she could fight with and against in a battle of wit and they connected on a level far deeper than physical attraction. Words were her weakness as well as Loki's, and she was sure that he realized this and would use it against her.

On the fifth day of her meetings with Frigga, she was convinced to see the nurses the following morning so they could begin the process of finding a means to help control her powers. When the afternoon rolled around they made their way to the arena, where they found Thor and Loki along with Lady Sif, Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandral. Fandral and Loki were sparing, dagger against sword, and Anastasia could see firsthand how Fandral's arm was weaker, a pang of guilt rising inside her.

When Loki became aware of her presence he quickly bested Fandral, a trivial attempt to impress her. Before he had the chance to greet her, Fandral picked himself up and strode her way, "Lady Anastasia, it is a pleasure." He bowed slightly and lifted her hand to his lips for a kiss.

"Fandral," she smiled, gripping his hand firmly to return the energy she had taken, laughing when he jumped back from the shock.

"Is this dress a conductor of such static too?" he shook out his arm.

Frigga made the introductions quickly and then excused herself from the arena. After each warrior had their turn kissing her hand, Sif joked about how small minded men could be, but it went unappreciated as Loki approached Ana and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her into him and placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Long time," he whispered in her ear before pulling away to see the surprised faces of his friends, which did not disappoint.

"Watch yourself," she warned, pushing him lightly to the side as she made her way down the steps to the pit.

* * *

"I like her," Sif told him before joining Ana in the pit.

Loki clenched his fist. He had just made a successful attempt at claiming her in front of his present company, and she pushed him away like he was nothing. He watched as she descended the steps, her thin red skirt swaying with her motions. There was no question she was raised on Midgard, where they wore different outfits everyday and were far less conservative, not that he objected. Ana's skirt was above her knees in the front but it lengthened down to her heels in the back while she wore a short black tank top that revealed her midsection, but she wore it so casually one could hardly notice when speaking with her.

"So this is where the warriors train," she muttered as she analyzed the wall of potential weapons.

"I think we all wish to see how you are in battle, my lady," Thor suggested, nudging Loki as he made his way next to Anastasia. He wouldn't say it aloud, but he wished to see her fight consciously.

"And who shall I be put up against?" She picked up a sword on the wall, tracing its blade with her fingertips, her hand gripping the handle gently, handling the weapon with the utmost care.

"I wish to see how skillful you truly are with a sword, my lady," Fandral interjected. Loki glared at him for volunteering. Should he flirt with her any longer there would have to be an unpleasant discussion between the two of them.

"You wouldn't mind, would you, Loki?" she teased, bringing him into the innuendo she had with Fandral. She put the sword back on the wall and used her magic to change her clothes into tight black fabric pants and a loose green tank top with the half of the sides removed, showing off her multicolored brazziere.

"Not at all. It should be interesting to watch," he smirked, looking her up and down satisfactorily before exiting the pit with the rest of the gang, leaving Fandral and Anastasia to themselves.

"You two have a unique dynamic," Hogun mentioned.

"If that is what you consider a dynamic," Volstagg boasted, amused to see this side of his friend. Loki only rolled his eyes at their lack of understanding about he and Anastasia's demeanor towards one another. They were complex beings, so their cluelessness shouldn't surprise him the slightest.

"The rules are simple," Sif announced, mainly to Anastasia. "Fight until the other yields. No magic is allowed nor can you inflict serious wounds."

"I think I can abide by that," Ana agreed, though she clearly didn't understand why she wasn't allowed to use magic. It was a skill that gave her an advantage, so she shouldn't be restricted on her abilities and Loki faced the same dilemma since magic was perceived merely by tricks. But she still had pure skill. "You ready?" she asked her opponent, her sword appearing in her hand, though it was not chained to her pendant as her scepter had been, the energy from her blood unable to boost the strength of her weapon.

"Shall we begin slow and easy?" he jested.

"I prefer to get into it immediately," she lunged forward, contacting his sword with hers before he twisted it away.

"My lady," he swung at her but she ducked out of his reach. "You need to relish in the moment!"

Ana stepped forward, bringing her sword over his head as he struggled to keep it away with his own. "Relishing dulls the senses," she pulled her sword away and his fell sloppily, allowing her to kick him in the gut. "Anticipation awakens them," she winked at Loki.

"These words are not meant for mine own ears," he chuckled, "but I will take it."

Loki watched as they dueled, grimacing each time Fandral cut her even though she got off twice as many hits. It seemed that she was studying him, playing against his weaknesses when he attacked too early or was unsteady. She remained on the defensive for a few minutes, taking time to analyze his foot patterns and his habits. It was intriguing the way her mind worked with purpose, her movements just as purposeful as her words.

After one last cut to her arm Anastasia went on the offensive, taking a large swing to his left side which he countered, but before he could back away and regain his stance she took hold of his arm with her free hand to restrict him. When he tried to reach for her to free himself she pulled him low enough by twisting his arm and sent her knee into his gut.

Fandral recovered from the blow and charged forward, dropping his sword as well as surprising Ana enough to drop her own as he pushed her off of him. "That was quite aggressive," he said short of breath, obviously in pain.

"I'm merely building the momentum," she laughed, brushing her hair from her face.

He went to pick up his sword when Ana came after him, sliding for his legs, but he jumped over them to her surprise, grabbing her leg and twisting her onto her stomach. "This is child's play now," he laughed. It was odd, seeing Fandral and Anastasia battle like children; it was no longer serious, rather it was for fun, and even the spectators were entertained.

But the game wasn't over yet, Fandral releasing her leg and she rose to her feet. "So you do pay attention," she observed, wiping the imaginary dirt off of her shirt.

Loki was curious when she went to pick up her sword as Fandral followed her, his sword in hand, but she didn't bend down to grab it as she should have, instead she squatted and paused for a moment until Fandral was in striking distance. She then jumped up, knocking his sword from his hand with a carefully placed blow to his forearm and when he buckled forward she quickly turned around and lifted her leg for a weak kick, which he intercepted and held her leg under his arm. Little did he know that he did exactly what Anastasia had wanted him to do. Then she jumped back and wrapped her other leg around his neck leaving him unbalanced as she immediately moved all her weight into a flip, throwing him over onto his back as he released her mid-flip. He hit the ground with a painful thud and when he opened his eyes Anastasia was standing over him, the tip of her sword to his throat.

"Yield?"

"Yield," he moaned.

"What did we just watch?" Thor mumbled to himself, never seeing combat like that.

"Very impressive," Sif commented, seconded by Hogun.

"I know," Loki grinned, thoroughly pleased with their appreciation of Anastasia's talents. He too was impressed, not expecting her to use her entire body as a weapon to win a fight, but had she been able to use her magic, she would have won much sooner. He surveyed the damage to her body, several bloody cuts to her arms and one to her head, staining her blonde hair into a deep red.

"You are fit to be a warrior, my lady," Fandral complimented as Anastasia helped him to his feet. "Is she not?" he turned his question to the rest of the warriors who were making their way into the pit.

"Without a doubt!" Volstagg boasted, patting Ana on the back proudly. "You bested Fandral with a sword. That is almost unheard of!"

"It was an even fight," Ana claimed, taking a moment to heal the cuts on her arms and head. She conjured a white cloth in her hand and held it out to Fandral, "Simply wet this and dab it onto your cuts and they will be healed."

Fandral took it wearily, "Thank you, my lady." He then turned to stride toward the fountain to try it out.

Loki made his way slowly to her side, forcing Thor to move further away in the process. "Congratulations," he said warmly, placing an innocent hand on the small of her back.

Before Anastasia could say a word Thor got an idea. "How about we all get together at the pub in town tomorrow night to celebrate!"

The warriors cheered at the suggestion, but Ana glanced up at Loki, "What are we celebrating?"

"It's really just an excuse to drink for no real purpose," he explained. This was true, but he had hopes that Anastasia would be willing to go, seeing it as another chance to assert that she was his and no other's.

"Then what do you call an actual celebration?"

"Same thing, only the purpose is short lived."

"I like the sound of that," she grinned. She then excused herself from the boisterous group and exited the pit, making her way back to the palace, not caring to offer a goodbye upon her departure.

"Are you not going to follow her?" Thor prodded Loki, earning a laugh from the group at his current predictability.

He did follow after her, however, rolling his eyes at his brother. In some instances he knew Loki too well for comfort, though most of the time he was clueless. Instead of catching up to her as he would have, when he saw her hips swaying beneath her red skirt and her frame illuminated by the lights, he decided to stay behind and observe, hiding from her eyes with his magic.

* * *

Anastasia was conflicted, walking confidently into the palace even though her mind was racing, attempting to draw up conclusions. For one, she was starting to _feel_ for Loki. These were foreign emotions and she couldn't play her usual games with him because she didn't want to simply use him for her own entertainment. At the same time she couldn't allow herself to care for him with the Mad Titan's vendetta against her. She learned the hard way with Benz.

But Loki was different than all the other men she encountered. He was a prince in the most powerful world in the Nine Realms, a potential king in his own right. She could take the risk, but the consequence could mean his life, and that blood would be on her own hands.

If the fates meant for them to be together according to Frigga, the odds would technically be in their favor. Most of her life had been spent in isolation with the fear of becoming too close to people, and here was Loki, offering himself to her but she continued to push him away. They may have only known one another for about a week, but their connection was deep, their two souls clawing to bring them together while their words flowed through the air between them, pushing and pulling in every direction.

Or was this all just madness?

She stopped in the middle of the hall, the thought anchoring her feet to the floor. Somehow she managed to find her way aimlessly outside of Loki's chambers. Looking around, she made certain she was alone before stepping gingerly to the doors, delicately tracing the horned handles with her fingertips. It was tempting to peek inside to see what was there, to see the retreat that was his and only his.

"Thanos," she whispered the Mad Titan's name like a curse. Her fists were clenched, ready to pound on the door and send it crashing to the ground in a hopeless attempt to crush her feelings. He was controlling her life without even being present in it. He could torture her all he pleased, but he could never break her, but torturing what made her whole, on the other hand, was begging for trouble. Releasing her fists she marched to her temporary chambers down the hall from which she came.

"It's been too long," came the eerie voice of the Other as she entered her room.

"I know. You look more dead than the last time I saw you." She closed the door behind her, staring at the ugly creature that invaded her space. His navy cloak didn't cover nearly enough of his skin, his twelve grey fingers tapping impatiently in front of him. He stood just inside the balcony, his grey armored chestpiece reflecting the light from the arches, as did the the gold brackets around his mouth and up his face. She wished that he would cover all of his face, not only his eyes since his raw teeth and gums made her stomach turn, deeply disturbed.

"Thanos is growing bored in your absence, but we feel that this will change." His voice scratched at her ears, the sound cutting the thick air.

"I suggest you take your fetus hands and return to your master," she warned, cracking her knuckles, preparing to use them.

"How fares the Dark Prince, child?"

"I wouldn't know," she lied. "Do tell, for what reason are you truly here?"

"Thanos grows impatient with you. Bring him an offering and perhaps a life may be spared."

"I am no slave to Thanos you pungent creature," she spat.

"Show respect to your master, ignorant one. You owe him your very life for he trained you and you are stupidly ungrateful to him. His threats are not empty, be aware."

Ana snapped, taking her dagger to the beast's neck, "Neither are mine, so you tell your malevolent master that if he _dares_ to come for me once more, I will kill him and I will show no mercy. Just as he taught me."

"He will not be pleased," the Other warned before vanishing from her grasp.

She dropped the dagger, falling to the floor under her weak knees. This is exactly what she feared would happen, and now Thanos was aware and he would come for her. Her hands clutched balls of her hair as she tried to contain the flow of a tear threatening to break the dam. The only thing left for her to do was leave, to spare Asgard of the Mad Titan's wrath and move on to a different realm, perhaps a new one in another dimension. She could never escape, but she could run forever.

When she climbed to her feet she walked painfully to the door, prepared to leave through the Bifrost, since her powers were too unstable presently. But she opened the door only to find Loki outside, realizing immediately that he had been listening in on her conversation with the Other. He looked at her with pure concern, but as he reached out to take her hand and comfort her, she exploded.

"What do you want!" she shouted, pushing him out of her way. "Just fuck off, will you!" Wiping the unstoppable tears away she spun around and stomped down the hall with Loki in pursuit.

"Whatever this is, we can protect you," he argued, his boots sounding loudly behind her in an attempt to keep up with her.

"It is not me that needs protection," Ana snapped, stopping mid stride and shoving a threatening finger in his face. "Thanos will come for you and he will gut you like an animal. He will not yield until you are in his clutches."

"Ana," he said calmly, "we are safe here and-"

"No!" she interrupted, pushing him backwards. "I care about you! For that reason he will hunt you down and break you in order to get to me. I am not letting that happen."

As she turned to walk away one last time he grabbed her arm, his grip tight and unrelenting. "This is madness!" he tried to reason.

"Is it?" she shouted at him, snatching her arm away only to slap him across the face in anger. Why couldn't he just let her go?

Loki shook his head, a bright pink handprint on his cheek, "If he's already coming for me, what is the sense in running?"

She thought about it for a moment and he was making sense. Their chances of survival were better together, protecting one another. She tried to speak, to argue with him, to say something that would hurt him and push him away, but there were no words.

"Come," he urged, opening his arms toward her.

Without thinking she walked into his embrace, wrapping her her arms tightly around his waist as she buried her face in his armor. He placed one hand on her back while the other cupped the back of her head, his thumb stroking her scalp comfortingly.

"Come now, my darling," he kissed her forehead, trying to cease her tears. When she only sobbed harder into his shoulder, he swept her off of her feet and proceeded to carry her to his chambers.

Only after 800 years did Anastasia finally break down like this. She didn't want to be crying and clinging onto somebody, especially that somebody being Loki. He was in enough danger already with the Other being aware of his presence in her life, but this open display of what could only be considered as affection could seal his fate. She couldn't stop though, only hanging onto him even harder, allowing herself to truly feel the emotions she had buried that were finally rising to the surface after being dormant for most of her life.

There was her ever present fear of Thanos following her for all of eternity, being his plaything and an object of his joy through her torment. Fear was present in all aspects of her life from happiness to sadness; there was always something that she feared. What brought her joy was only to bring suspicion and what brought her pain was confirmation of her fears. That was no way for any being to live, but it was her curse.

Thanos had found Ana when she was entering womanhood, taking advantage of her chemical imbalances to trick her into joining his cause after he swore to protect her from humans. At the beginning it was fun, entering a brand new universe and absorbing all the knowledge that was at her fingertips, but it didn't last long before Thanos revealed his intentions. He scheduled lessons for her in both learning and combat, treating her as his protege, leading her down the same path as he. Over time he changed his attitude about her, arguing that she was not, nor would ever, be good enough, rapidly increasing the difficulty of her lessons until they were too much for her to bear. Soon after Thanos decided she would only be useful for entertainment, setting up games that often involved a form of torture whether it be fight to the death or an intellectual test involving serious physical punishments.

Anastasia was constantly fighting him, pleading for her release, but when he granted it, it came with a cost. She was sent to the humans' Earth in a dimension outside of the Nine Realms, which is where she was captured and experimented on once more. They would test the limits of her power, bringing her to the brink of death and having her steal the life out of innocents, but when they found the results unsatisfactory, they created a device to insert more energy into her body, increasing her powers.

Their methods were cruel, chaining her up in a chamber somehow immune to her powers and canceled out her energy. After the energy increase they realized how uncontrollable she was, so they then developed her pendent through a series of experiments, draining the majority of her blood several times before they were successful. The needles, the harpoons, the drills, and the chemicals were all used for the purpose of creating her into their own weapon of mass destruction. All of the innocent people that perished at her hand, forced into the experiment with her because they were insignificant, were simply casualties in the grand scheme of things. The Hel which she felt was not in the physical pain, but in the mental outcome of becoming a monster against her will, destroying who she once was, the person she couldn't remember being.

It was a funny thing, traveling her entire life. Her sense of self held her apart from the rest of the universe, the humility and plain humanity she possessed were some of her greatest strengths. But in the end these would be her downfall, the very tools that would bring about her destruction, along with anybody she happened to get close to. It was an endless circle of pain that was quickening its revolutions.

* * *

A whole day had passed since Anastasia's meltdown and she continued to lie motionless in Loki's bed, her once shining eyes were empty of all emotion except pain. Loki had carried her the short distance to his chambers, feeling that it was the only safe place for her to be. The only movements she made were small, her eyes looking around the room or the twitching of her body underneath his touch when he would try and stir her.

After what he heard the previous day if Odin found out about this secret, she would certainly be executed. He had no idea who the Other was or even who Thanos was, but the All-Father was aware of all existence, and he could never know about Anastasia's connection with them.

It could be suggested that he was afraid for their safety, but he would remind himself that Asgard was the safest world in the Nine Realms. The thought also occurred to him that the threat did not originate anywhere remotely near the Nine Realms. Asgard's armies were strong, he and Thor stronger, second only to the All-Father and now Anastasia, but if Thanos was more powerful than Anastasia, they would have a rather large problem on their hands.

The current most important question was who he could trust with such a delicate situation, if there was anyone. Thor and the warriors would be knocking down his door at any moment requesting their presence at the pub and to which they would either be disappointed or startled by Anastasia's state. She would certainly wake within the next several hours since a being with powers such as hers needed decent sustenance, but he did not want to leave with the chance that he might not be by her side when she woke.

"I will be out a moment. I am going to have a meal prepared for you, darling," Loki decided, figuring it would pass the time faster for them both. She did not blink or react to his words and remained still aside from her heaving chest, her breaths perfectly rhythmic.

Upon exiting his chambers and closing the door gently behind him, so as to not startle Anastasia, he heard the joyful thundering of his brother's feet coming quickly down the hall. The other warriors were absent from his presence, which only left Loki to conclude that Thor had a spike in desire for brotherly bonding time, which were often more enjoyable than to be expected.

"Brother!" Thor greeted Loki, meeting him only several feet away from his chamber doors.

"Thor," Loki grimaced as Thor slapped him playfully on the back. "I cannot be bothered, brother," he took a step away from Thor. "I am off to the kitchen to have a meal planned for Anastasia and I."

As he was walking away Thor destroyed his hopes of being left alone as he ran to catch up, "Are you and your lady going to be joining us at the pub tonight? She seemed very excited!"

Loki ignored Thor's unrelenting grin, expecting shortly for his brother to put the pieces together and draw an exaggerated conclusion. "No, the pub is not on our itinerary this evening. Now, if you will excuse me," he attempted to dismiss Thor.

"Loki!" Thor boomed, stopping dead in his tracks with surprise and amusement on his face. Loki couldn't resist hearing what he had to say. "Oh, you must tell me everything!"

"There is nothing worth telling," Loki rolled his eyes and continued towards the kitchens.

"What other reason would there be for Lady Anastasia to be hiding away in your chambers? Surely she must be exhausted!" Thor roared with laughter, throwing an arm over Loki's shoulder, hoping they could talk as they did when they were clueless teenagers, exploiting the women they bedded through vulgar discussions.

"Do not speak of her in such a disrespectful manner," Loki warned, slapping his arm away. Anastasia was different from all the other women in the Nine Realms. She could not be taken in conquest or talked of as an object for a man's desires. A prince generally gets what he wants, but after getting every woman he pleased, the idea of treating Anastasia in the same manner was repulsive. She was so much _more_.

Thor waved Loki's warning away, "I cannot help but wonder where all that energy goes when she loses control. Brother, I must say, Anastasia is-"

Loki followed Thor's gaze behind them, suddenly realizing Ana had been listening to them speaking. "Please," she nodded to Thor, "do continue." Her eyes were locked on Thor, absent of anger and actually amused.

He looked her over, the color of her skin returned from its previous paleness and he could see the brightness in her eyes once more. All aspects of her were back to normal as if nothing had happened, her skirt unwrinkled and her hair flowing perfectly about her shoulders. It was worrisome how she could recover so quickly, but he did not object to her presence.

"We were merely joking, my lady," Thor stammered, looking to Loki for reassurance, but he only grinned, glad that she caught his tongue.

"I'm curious to know how you would finish your last sentence," she walked towards him confidently, stopping half a foot away from Thor. "If you do not wish to finish it, allow me to enlighten you a bit. I am a woman of the modern age. I express my sexuality as it is my right to do so, therefore I may do as I please, but that makes me no more a whore than yourself," she paused, "Actually, you are more so than I if we're counting. But nonetheless I am to be respected and treated with decency like any other man, and if you cannot meet such already low expectations, I'm afraid evolution skipped over you somehow."

Thor gaped down at her unwavering eyes, unsure of how to respond but searching for the right words to apologize.

"You're forgiven," she patted his cheek jokingly and turned to Loki, taking his hand in hers and proceeded to pull him down the hall towards the kitchens. "We shall see you at the pub. And to answer any open questions, no, Loki would not be so lucky," she called across the hall at the bewildered Thor.

"Are you alright?" Loki inquired, squeezing her hand to get her full attention. Try as she might, she couldn't use her humor to dissuade him from the matter.

"I'm perfectly well," she smiled. "Hungry though. I don't exactly know where the kitchen is," she laughed.

"Yes, I will take you to the kitchen, but are you certain you are alright? You have not been exactly well this past day."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she shrugged.

Loki pulled them to a stop at the top of the staircase, "What about Thanos?" he whispered. "You said we were in danger and-"

"I am well, I assure you. Give me enough to drink tonight and I'll be fantastic," Anastasia smiled up at him. He could see through her lie. She was physically well, but emotionally was another story, and he was sure that she would not rest until she had her drinks. "We'll figure out that nonsense another time," she reassured him and placed a sweet kiss on his cheek then descended the staircase.

Loki stared after her as he often found himself doing. Burying all her feeling was not healthy for her, but he couldn't tell her so because he did the same. She wouldn't respond to a hypocrite. There had to be something he could do to help her though, he just had to figure out what it was and hope she would let him help. If she was as much like him as he feared, he knew it would be difficult.


	5. A Recurring Nightmare

**Just want to say thank you for the reviews, I truly appreciate it :) And also a thank you to Blood Thirsty Angle for your promo. If you haven't read her story, The Contract, I suggest you do since it's wonderful. But yeah, I hope you all enjoy what is to come!**

* * *

"There they are!" shouted Volstagg across the pub as Ana entered, Loki trailing close behind her. "Over here!"

The signs Anastasia had been giving Loki all evening were causing him to worry, seeing her carelessly jest with anyone who dared to speak to her. She dressed herself in a short black jumper with gold heels to match and her vibrant red lips boasted a devious smile. Lust had replaced the brightness in her eyes, but she didn't direct towards Loki, instead she scanned the room like a predator, searching for someone pleasing enough.

The others would easily see the difference in her demeanor, but he hoped if anyone could talk sense into her it would be Sif. He followed Ana's gaze around the room, seeing the way in which the other men looked at her, leaving him anxious, unable to bring himself to sit himself next to her. Tonight she was not his.

It was crowded inside the pub, forcing them to push their way to the booth at which their friends were seated and already drinking. The square golden panels on the walls were reflecting a faint amount of light while single lights hanged above the tables and bar. The leather on the booths was a faded red while the woodwork on the tables and stools were chipping, in desperate need of refinishing. It was one of the finer establishments as far as public pubs went, but it was still unpleasant to Loki.

"Lady Anastasia!" Thor greeted, followed by the cheering of the rest of the group. "We are so glad you could make it." He called over a waitress, demanding another round of drinks as tossed his empty glass to her, lacking the proper position in the center of the round booth to throw it to the ground.

"Glad to be here," Anastasia smiled, sliding into the booth next to Volstagg who, to no surprise, was happily absorbed in his food. Next to Volstagg was Thor and Sif and across from Anastasia was Fandral then leaving Loki and Hogun on the ends, the two less boisterous ones of the group.

"Let the celebration begin!" cheered Fandral as the waitress brought the ale. As the drinks were being slid across the table Loki's fears were confirmed as he noticed Ana eyeing up Fandral who was currently oblivious, consumed in the passing drinks, two given to each of them. "Cheers!" he lifted his glass and everyone followed, clanking their glasses together as ale spilled all over the table.

The first several rounds of drinks were normal, each person sharing an entertaining story whenever they pleased, laughter filling the entire pub. There was no stress in the building except for Loki who, though he joined in with the stories, was constantly worrying about Anastasia. She was growing restless, fidgeting every minute as she downed more and more drinks without becoming drunk. He would occasionally meet Fandral's concerned gaze, knowing he was looking to Loki for some explanation for Anastasia's flirtatiousness. Even Sif shook her head at him.

"You Asgardians are so proper," Anastasia laughed.

"How would you like us to be?" Sif went along with her, leaning forward on her hand to listen intently.

"So many rules. Dress this way, act that way, talk this way. It is all so boring."

"And what do you do?" Thor wondered, laughing into his glass of ale.

"I break the rules," she grinned, her eyes locking onto Fandral's causing him to choke on his drink. After a moment she maneuvered her way and stood on the table, the group laughing, asking her what in the Nine Realms she was doing. "I need another drink!" she hollered, jumping off the table and landing smoothly. She turned and gave Fandral the _look_ and she made her way to the bar.

"I will make sure she finds her way," Fandral excused himself, too drunk to notice Loki's furious glare.

"Having trouble keeping her already?" Sif joked, taking a sip of ale.

"She is not herself today," he mumbled, swirling his drink as he watched she and Fandral disappear into the crowd.

"Better go after her before she finds herself in Fandral's bed," Thor teased, validated by laughs from the others.

Loki grumbled and stormed into the crowd, bumping into people and spilling their drinks on the already filthy floor. He didn't want the night to end with Anastasia in the arms of another man, but she was so far gone he couldn't know anything for sure.

"Excuse me!" he heard Anastasia shout. When he had the bar in sight he saw Ana sitting on the bar, her legs disappearing behind it. "I need some more drinks, handsome!"

"Coming right up, beautiful. This one's on me," the bartender grinned.

"I'll make it worth your while," he heard her say, listening from a short distance, keeping a sharp eye on Ana.

"Yeah?" the bartender raised a brow as he prepared her a drink. He was relatively handsome with his messy short brown hair and his filthy grey tunic was revealing his muscled arms. It was understandable why Ana gravitated toward him. "I'm listening."

"Come here," she motioned, dropping down from the bar.

He didn't want to believe what happened next, but he couldn't deny it. Anastasia pulled him into her and kissed him desperately. Her body visibly moving against his and he quickly returned the fervor. Loki's heart sank, feeling both sad and angry, wanting to hold her and tell her it will be okay and wanting to beat the bartender senseless for touching her. And he did touch her, running his hands aggressively over her body, not even taking the time to appreciate how beautiful she was, simply taking advantage of the moment.

But Anastasia didn't stop there. She pulled away, his hands still groping her and she called for Fandral who appeared, leaning over the other side of the bar. "Come here," she demanded as she met him halfway, pulling on his collar and bringing him in for a long kiss. After about a minute he crawled over the bar and pushed himself against her, kissing her passionately yet drunkenly. There was a room behind the bar and the bartender opened the door, excusing himself and leaving the waitress alone to run the pub while he, Ana, and Fandral disappeared behind the door.

"You need to go stop that," Loki heard Sif say, suddenly realizing that she had been standing there for some time.

"I couldn't if I tried," he sighed. "I'm going to return to the palace. Wish the warriors a good night for me." With that he pushed his way out of the rowdy pub, still contemplating going into the backroom and dragging Anastasia out of there, but he had to let her make her own choices. He couldn't understand what she was doing, though he began to question whether or not that mattered.

* * *

As the morning light creeped its way over Anastasia's face, she found herself waking up in a strange room, in a strange man's bed. She rubbed at her eyes, forcing herself to clear her vision and began to pull herself together. Next to her was the bartender from the pub, laying on his stomach underneath the sheets, his heavy arm over her stomach. Sitting up she glanced at her surroundings. This was not the same backroom she had disappeared into, rather this was most likely his house, but how she managed to get there was beyond her. The night was a complete blur, but there was a weight lifted slightly off her shoulders, the anxiety of the previous day being eased.

The room was unkept, dirty laundry lying all over the floor, dust building on the furniture and crumbs littering the empty spaces. The peach sheets they were under were tattered and stained unlike Loki's fine silk sheets, making her miss the odd comfort of his chambers and bringing her thoughts back around to what she had just done.

Throwing his arm off of her bare stomach she erupted from the bed, immediately dressing herself as the bartender stirred. She didn't even know the man's name and she shared his bed.

"Oh my," the man gasped, rolling over. Anastasia turned around to snap at him but she jumped at what she saw. Where she had been laying, blood stained the sheets and the man was covered in bruises, cuts appearing here and there as well outlines of bite marks on his neck. He rubbed his swollen face, a red handprint clearly visible against the skin of his cheek and a trail of dried blood from the corner of his mouth. When he tried to sit forward he groaned in pain, though he was completely satisfied, the pain being worth the gain. Opening his mouth he began to say something, but he decided otherwise and returned to laying in the bed, planning to recover from the night for the rest of the day.

Anastasia watched him a moment longer, allowing herself to feel the anger she often suppressed. There was no regret on her mind, but she had the urge to purposely hurt him after seeing him so bruised and beaten, as if he were to blame. It awoke the part of her that was designed to be cruel and ruthless, the part of her that belonged to Thanos.

"Why are you holding a knife?" he asked suddenly, out of breath.

Wriggling her fingers she noticed the dagger in her hand. It had appeared and she hadn't even noticed, her subconscious ready to spill blood. When she tried to make it disappear, she couldn't, like weapon was somehow glued to her hand.

"Where is it?" she asked. She knew what the problem was. Her pendant was missing, mysteriously ripped from her skin during the night and all that remained was a chain connected to her ring and the raw skin where the pendant had once been attached to her. The bartender didn't respond, closing his eyes to rest. "Where is it!" she demanded, the anger swelling up inside her. "I _need_ it!"

"How should I know," he grumbled, rolling over, putting his back to her.

Immediately she felt the pain grow inside her, the aches stretching throughout her body with no means to control it, its release inevitable. "Run," she warned. Instead of restraining herself as she normally would, she decided to embrace it, to feel the relief for the first time since she was young, the freedom of the aches.

The bartender didn't listen, but Ana was not concerned; he would be a casualty, but he had the night of his life, so she felt it justified. With ease she flung the dagger across the bed into his back, waking all of his senses as he screamed, the noise quiet in her ears. The energy began to drain from his body, killing him quickly as she absorbed it, taking a deep breath of satisfaction as she did so. She then raised her arms and slowly brought them to her chest as she reached a state of peace, unaware that she was exercising control over her powers.

Opening her eyes, she felt the wind strong on her face, racing through her hair and spinning around her, making her feel as though she could fly. When she flung her arms out and let the energy explode through her veins, time slowed. She could see the room fall outwards, the golden panels cracking in all directions and the furniture combusting. Every single particle was visible to her, each splinter that was lodged in fabric and each crumb that blew away, finding a new place to be still. Then everything began to disintegrate, the bartender's body dissolving into shining gold dust along with every other object in the room, and eventually the entire house was falling apart. The sky was now showing overhead as Anastasia admired its beauty, the air filling with the dust as it floated away, becoming part of the world where it could be breathed and touched and walked on. It was returning to where it came from.

"Why should I?"

Ana froze, unable to believe what she had just heard, her moment of peace quickly shattered. When her eyes came back to the bartender, the entire room was put back together, not a thing out of place, back to being as filthy as it was minutes ago. The aches were gone and she felt relaxed, not an ounce of her power rising unwarranted to the surface.

"What?" she wondered to herself. She clenched and unclenched her fists repeatedly, searching for the pain she always felt, but she couldn't find it. "This can't be," she mumbled, poking at her skin like it was foreign to her, rolling her shoulders and neck in unfamiliar ease. What had happened only a moment earlier was not a dream, but somehow she undid the destruction she had caused and the bartender just happened to forget his recent death. The only conclusion as to why this had happened was the absence of her pendant, yet she couldn't imagine how, or at least she didn't want to.

"We should do this again sometime," the man sighed, drifting back into his exhausted slumber.

Ana snorted, knowing well he wouldn't want to relive that night again once he got out of bed and looked into a mirror. She was tempted to smack him around some more for her own entertainment, but she had an issue to resolve, so she turned her attention to finding her pendant.

It was nowhere to be found though, looking in all of the nooks and crannies of the strange man's home, only finding rotten food, garbage, and dirty laundry, leaving her only more ashamed of her actions last night. The world shouldn't end if she went without her pendant for awhile, but she hadn't ever done so without the supervision of the those who created it for her. Of course, without her pendant she was left without a weapon and a means of transportation, which would have been handy considering she didn't know where she was.

Approximately an hour of her time was dedicated to searching for her pendant, knowing half of the time she wouldn't find it, only procrastinating on her return to the palace. But the All-Father had other plans for her. When she stepped outside to check the perimeter, a dozen guards on horseback were waiting for her while the two that were waiting outside the door knocked her onto her knees with the smooth side of their swords.

"What is the meaning of th-" she was cut off as one of the men brought a guard around her mouth, preventing her from speaking while another man cuffed her hands, metal spikes digging into her skin to discourage her from attempting to escape. They quickly attached chains to each of her limbs, not taking any chances, and once they had her secured the ends of the chains were given to the men on horseback, four beside her and two directly behind her, one restraining her neck while the other held her midsection.

The guards then escorted her back to the palace, yanking now and then at the chains to remind her who was in charge, taking advantage of the fact she couldn't snap at them. The situation would have been fine had there not been an audience following her and people popping out of doors and windows to see her, the dangerous and deadly prisoner. Even the children peered out from behind their mother's skirts to see what the fuss was about before retreating to safety. She wanted to tell them that there was nothing to worry about and that she would never harm them, but she couldn't. She was helpless.

* * *

"I swear to you, Loki, I did no more than you saw," Fandral pleaded as they were striding through the halls.

Loki continued to ignore him, resisting the urge to hurt him out of what little respect he had left for the man. His mind was focused on Anastasia, wondering of her whereabouts since she apparently didn't spend the night with Fandral.

"I was inhibited, yes, but I had enough wits about myself to go no further than a few innocent," he stumbled, not wanting to admit he kissed Anastasia. "But she came to me," he argued with himself, attempting to obtain his own forgiveness.

As much as Loki wished for Fandral to perish at the moment, he knew with certainty that Fandral wouldn't betray him on that level and that he really did have little control over his desires. "Where did you see her last?" he inquired.

Fandral was stumped for a minute, astonished that Loki hadn't yelled at him yet. "We were in the backroom of the pub. I left when she started to untie-"

"Enough," Loki interrupted him, not wanting to hear the details. Anastasia gave Fandral more affection in a matter of hours than he had received in days, but he couldn't choose whether to feel anger, betrayal, or attraction towards her. If only he could get a moment with her alone, they could straighten it out, but when she would return was unknown.

"Loki, I cannot apologize sincerely enough for my actions," Fandral continued, now solely attempting to forgive himself instead of earning Loki's. "In my defense she came to me, you saw her do it! And I was under the influence and therefore I was easily susceptible to her charms."

Loki waved away Fandral's world, not wanting to hear anymore on the matter. "We may discuss this another time," he dismissed him.

Reluctantly Fandral retreated, his guilt obvious to Loki, but that didn't simmer the anger inside him. The more he thought about it the stronger the realization was that he could have prevented this, but whether or not Anastasia would have simply chosen another was up in the air.

He continued on his path to the Great Hall where Odin would be sitting upon the throne, hearing the plights of the people as he often did. It was one way in which he kept himself connected to his subjects, which also made him such a beloved ruler, but this was one subject that Thor didn't enjoy partaking in. The subject of his concern was Anastasia, for he wished for her to attend their next celebration as his official date, and since there was going to be a special announcement, the crowds would certainly be great. He wanted all of Asgard to see Anastasia on his arm, but he needed Odin's approval beforehand.

As he came increasingly close to the Great Hall, the number of guards and spectators in the halls were alarming. When he passed by the civilians he could feel their eyes on him, as if they knew something he didn't, which was not a feeling he found very pleasant.

"Please remain silent!" he heard his father's voice thunder as the peasants looked between one another in concern. The first thought that came into mind was Anastasia, and something made him feel that she got herself into trouble.

"Allow the prisoner to come forth," came his father's voice once more.

Loki quickened his pace, his heart racing at an abnormal rate; this emotion of worry was new and oddly thrilling. As he rounded the corner into the Great Hall the number of guards increased tenfold, holding back the crowds of onlookers.

"Excuse me," he shoved his way past the guards only to find Anastasia kneeling before the All-Father in chains, her mouth obstructed by a guard. The sudden movement he made brought her attention to him, her eyes full of anger, but she managed an eye roll to him.

"Direct your attention to your King!" Odin thundered, rising from his throne and pounding Gungnir onto the ground, the sound echoing throughout the palace. "Remove her guard so she may speak."

One of the many guards stepped forward and unlocked the guard, removing it and Anastasia proceeded to stretch out her jaw. Loki just stared, seeing the bruises where the chains held her and the way in which she struggled to get comfortable; it was disturbing. She was still dressed in her black jumper from the night prior, but her shoes were absent and there was a trail of blood from her feet leading to where she knelt. Where her pendant once was there was now large gashes in her skin, swollen and bruised like it was removed in a hurry.

"What do you have to say for yourself presently?" Odin requested agitatedly.

"I'd say your dramatic flare has not yet run its course," she spat, suddenly gagging as the guard in control of the chain around her neck yanked her backwards. There were soft whispers throughout the hall as Anastasia collected herself once more, looking dead into Odin's eyes, "And you dare to call yourself an honorable king," she growled.

"Stop!" Odin ordered as the guard once again began to tug at the chain. "You are only revealing your true self to all of Asgard," he paused, taking his time to walk down the stairs to where Anastasia was kneeling. "You are a pathetic, ignorant, and irresponsible child who has no concept of honor or law. You have no loyalties and your reputation exceeds our knowledge, ruining the names of decent men and tearing families apart through murder-"

"I did no such thing!" Anastasia countered, attempting to rise but being held down by the chains.

Before Odin had the chance to speak once more, Loki stepped forward, "Father, what is the meaning of all this?" He strode to his father's side, oblivious to all the eyes on him as he challenged the king.

"Thor, take your brother elsewhere," Odin called, refusing to meet Loki's furious gaze.

"Come, brother," Thor tugged at his arm gently, his voice full of sympathy.

"Loki," Anastasia choked, trying once more to get to her feet. She stared right through him, past all of his walls and straight to his soul. It was heartbreaking to see her struggle so much, almost pleading for her life.

"Now, brother," Thor tugged harder, but Loki's eyes were locked onto Anastasia's.

"I'm sorry," she managed, tears forming in the corner of her eyes as she desperately tried to rise to her feet and come to him, but she was restricted by all of the chains.

"For what?" Loki asked, breaking himself free from Thor's grip and running to her side, full of anger and fear, unsure of how to control himself. He glanced up to where his father was standing condescendingly, "Let her speak to me," he ordered.

After Odin shared a quick glance with Thor and Frigga, he allowed Anastasia enough slack that she could move and Loki could hold her. "Tell him," Odin commanded of her.

Loki searched her eyes to find a meaning behind all of this, but he was unsuccessful. His father was trying to prove a point, that she could not be trusted, but this was not the proper way to prove his point.

"He was alive this morning, I swear to you," she told him, reaching out for his hands but was restricted.

"Say it," Odin ordered. When Anastasia shook her head he grew more furious, "Say it! Admit to your crimes and this can be over!"

"It was an accident!" she shouted. "Please," she begged of Loki, "You must believe me."

He placed a gentle hand on her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin as she leaned into his hand, closing her eyes only for a moment. "Tell us what happened," he told her warmly.

* * *

Frigga stormed into the Great Hall, her steps furious as she climbed the staircase to Odin. "Whatever you are doing, I advise you put an end to it immediately," she warned her husband.

"I take it you heard of young Even's murder this morning." Odin glared at Frigga, unable to make her speak properly to her King. Her advice was always worthy of his ear, but she was biased on the subject of Anastasia and even if she foresaw something that was potentially dangerous, he didn't need to change his mind.

"I am certain that there is a reasonable explanation for it," she stated. "You must call this off unless you wish for your son to see her like this."

"What would you suggest?" he questioned, not looking forward to her answer.

"I saw what would happen, and I dare say it does not reflect favorably upon the King of Asgard." She looked at his blank expression, his mind mulling over the possibilities. "I suggest you at least block the public from witnessing it, for Loki's sake if no one else's."

Odin weighed his options quickly. On one hand he could prove to all of Asgard that Anastasia was indeed a threat to the realm and they would embrace her execution, but on the other hand, his son cared for her more deeply than he wished to admit. He could sacrifice the life of one for the good of the majority, but that one was his son.

"Allow her to explain herself to us. This is not a concern for our people," Frigga continued to persuade him.

"Very well," he sighed, giving in to her wishes. "Retrieve Thor and Loki for me. I request their presence when she arrives."

Frigga shook her head, "Open your mind if nothing else, my King," she said calmly before leaving his side to fetch her sons.

His father, King Bor, had told him stories when he was a child about the mysterious blood magic from beyond the universe, and it succeeded in giving him nightmares as a young boy. But what Bor reminded him constantly of was that the only thing to fear was fear itself, as cliche as it may be. Blood magic was elusive and powerful, almost as strong as his own power, if not stronger, but Anastasia's advantage was their lack of knowledge about it. Precautions were necessary in order to maintain the safety of the realm, and if that meant covering her in chains, then so be it.

The factor he did not account for was Loki's feelings toward her. If it were any other maiden he would not object to her treatment and likely execution, but he held many opinions concerning Anastasia, as did Frigga and Thor, who was wavering on the neutral side. But murder was inexcusable, even if she had a decent explanation as to why it had happened.

It was his responsibility as King and protector of the Nine realms to keep the peace and protect his people, and Anastasia was a threat to all of that. Yes, she could turn out to be an ally and supporter of Asgard, but the chance that she might take the opposite stance was not something he was willing to risk. What was necessary was obvious. Loki would forgive him in enough time.

* * *

By the time they had reached the palace, Anastasia could barely stand, the hot marble walkways burning the bottoms of her feet as she was skidded along to the point of her feet bleeding. The spikes inside the cuffs were digging deep into her skin, tearing it in every painful direction as she tried to muffle her pain.

"Allow the prisoner to come forth," came the All-Father as they entered the palace. With what little strength she had left she forced herself to stand upright and walk like she was without agony. She glanced around the hall, her head held high as she counted the number of guards present, thankful that the common folk were not allowed inside.

The room was silent aside from the clanking of her chains, all eyes on her as she walked slowly before the All-Father, stopping at the bottom of the steps. The eyes that were burning most were those of Loki, the anger and sympathy creating a whole inside her that made her want to crumble where she stood.

"Remove her guard so that she may speak," he ordered. One of the guards came up and undid the brace, allowing her to stretch out her jaw and crank her neck slightly, avoiding pulling on the chain around her neck accidentally. "You may kneel before your King," Odin spoke, rising from his throne to stand tall above her.

Ana looked at Loki, sensing he understood the tremendous pain kneeling would cause, but he did nothing, only grimacing as she lowered herself to the ground, falling most of the way with a low cry of pain. "Anything more?" she sassed, her voice unable to maintain a threatening tone.

"Are you aware of why you are here today?" he inquired, staring down at her condescendingly.

"I am not," she sighed, desperately wanting to close her eyes, but was too afraid to.

Odin gripped Gungnir tighter, more agitated than he should be in this situation, "Do you wish to see the reason for your arrest?"

"That would be ideal," she shrugged. She kept her eyes off of Loki, trying to avoid the feeling of shame from her actions last night so instead she just stared at the ground out of embarrassment, being unnecessarily chained and presented to the King like a runaway slave.

"Bring in the body," Odin commanded, sympathetic to the dead, but frustrated with Ana.

Anastasia watched as a pair of guards brought in the body of the bartender, naked except for his undershorts. She couldn't believe he was dead since he was perfectly alive earlier in the morning, even willing to go another round.

"What is his name?" Odin asked calmly.

"I don't know," she shook her head, taking her eyes off of the deceased.

"What is his name!" he hollered in impatience. His chest was heaving in anger. When she again shook her head he continued, "His name was Even. He was a beloved son until you took his life."

"I didn't-"

"The cause of his death was internal bleeding as a result of all of the injuries he sustained." He stared down at her once more, "You killed him, slowly, painfully, and without care. Is this not true?"

"It was an accident," she mumbled. Even's body was covered in bruises, especially over his abdomen and the more prominent bite marks on his neck and her aggressive handprints sporadically over his skin. "He was fine this morning," she trailed off, looking at the man's face, which was almost unrecognizable compared to the one she saw last night.

"What did you do?" Loki asked coldly and she swore she let out a quiet whimper.

"I didn't-" she began.

"Tell me," Loki ordered, the feeling of betrayal speaking volumes to her.

"Loki," she pleaded, not wanting to admit to it out loud, but he only glared at her until she did so. "We… we had sex," she stammered, flinching when she felt a wave of Loki's magic pass through her, the fury inside of him spilling over. "But it was a mistake, I didn't mean for it to happen!"

"You could have healed him, could you not?" Odin questioned.

"Yes," she admitted, "Had I known he was-"

"That is all we need to hear," Odin interrupted her with a swipe of his hand. "Loki, my son, Prince of Asgard," he began, "what do you wish to do with our prisoner?"

Her eyes snapped up to Loki's, shocked that the All-Father would allow Loki to make such a decision, but also worried as to what he would decide. She truly did not intend to harm him, it just happened and she hadn't been aware of any internal bleeding, but if he had said something, she could have saved him.

Loki descended the steps to where Anastasia was still kneeling, squatting down to eye level and looking deep into her eyes. He placed one hand on her cheek and rested another where her pendant once was, running his fingers over her wounds gingerly. "Are you okay?" he whispered.

"I'm fine," she forced a smile, relishing in the sensation of his touch.

He gave her a weak smile and stood up to address his father, "Release her," he said calmly.

Odin stared, dumbfounded by his son's decision, clearly believing that this charade would entice him to turn on Anastasia. Even she couldn't believe what she had heard, fully expecting to be thrown into the dungeons for good this time.

"She will be my responsibility and if this occurs once more, I will accept my own punishment. But for now, I will look after her." He stood proudly in between Odin and Anastasia, making his stance very clear. Thor, who was standing behind Odin, couldn't help but smile, though he was conflicted on the issue, but it warmed her heart.

"Very well," Odin croaked, questioning whether or not to allow Anastasia her freedom. "She is your responsibility now," he warned Loki, pounding the end of Gungnir onto the ground to sound that the decision was final. He then dismissed all present, the guards undoing the chains binding Anastasia while Loki held his father's gaze. When Anastasia was released Odin dismissed everyone and Loki finally turned his attention to her.

* * *

After freeing Anastasia, Loki lead her back to his chambers so they could have a thorough discussion about the course of events. She remained silent, only glancing and rubbing at her wounds; the fact her pendant was missing puzzled her as well.

Once they reached his doors, he held it as she walked in, not meeting his eyes. "You should take a moment to fix that," he pointed to one of her many gashes, earning an irritated smile. She sat herself down on the window seat, her right leg hanging out onto the balcony as she leaned against the wall, staring at the sky. Something was amiss, he could tell just by looking at her.

"I could have saved him," she mumbled, watching as her skin began to recover from its injuries, the dried blood evaporating into the air as she healed. "It would not have taken very long," she trailed off.

"You didn't know he was bleeding internally," he tried to comfort her, sitting himself across from her. He watched as she tapped her fingers on the seat, her mind racing to make sense of the situation. Placing a gentle hand on her knee, he added, "I don't think it was such a terrible death."

Anastasia laughed and he let out a sigh of relief. "I suppose so," she sighed, bringing her gaze to his. "It didn't mean anything, I want you to know that. It just happened," she explained, though there isn't much she could say.

Loki nodded, still angry with the fact that she shared another man's bed even though he had a claim to her, but she may not have been certain of that fact. "I know," he gave her a genuine smile.

They sat in silence for a decent amount of time, both lost and thought, trading glances between the view and each other. Their thoughts were similar, each of them eying up Ana's bare arm, wondering where her pendant had gone and why she was under control presently. Eventually Ana's mind shifted, turning her focus to him, not saying a word as she crawled in between his legs, resting her back against his chest. She let out a deep sigh as he wrapped arm around her waist while the other stroked her arm, feeling the skin where her pendant had been.

"How are you, darling?" he inquired, sliding her hair to one side as he placed a sweet kiss on the back of her neck.

"I don't know," she shrugged him away. "I have never been without it on my own, but I feel… better," she stared off, squeezing his leg to let him know she was still with him. "You shouldn't have stood up for me," she stated, changing the subject.

"I believe in true Asgardian justice, and that was not what I define as justice. My father is not the fondest of you," Loki offered. It was true, Asgard had a reputation for going to the furthest lengths in order to provide fair justice to criminals, but Odin was blinded about her, and he had a duty to the realm which he would not fail. That was not the whole truth, as Anastasia likely knew, but he would never admit that he had the instinct to protect her, an alien feeling he was still growing accustomed to with her.

"I see," she said blankly, situating herself closer to him. It felt natural having her in his arms. There was no discomfort or urge for more, but it was simply peaceful and they were both clearly content in their position.

He couldn't help his curiosity though, "So, what did happen to your pendant?"

"I think it just got ripped off at some point between the bar and Even's home."

His body couldn't help but stiffen, still upset about her actions. "We should send out a search party to retrieve it, yes?" he suggested.

"The would be wise," she answered. That was all she offered before she got lost in her mind, taking in his chambers as she thought.

They were sitting in the window seat across from his chamber doors, which was one of two beside the doorway to the balcony that was covered by deep green curtains with gold seams. Against the wall next to them was the entrance to his washroom, where, unbeknownst to Anastasia, there was a lavish bathtub meant for two and a grand chandelier that illuminated the beautiful retreat. The walls were empty besides a large mirror hanging above the dresser he used for storing jewelry and another mirror stood in the corner, properly angled so he could see his reflection from his bed. Ana even looked at the walls, the gold panels with a satin finish so the light didn't blind anyone from its reflection of light.

Tall bookshelves lined most of the space along the wall, stacked full of books old and new, but all obviously read. The shelves were made of a dark wood, the leather bound covers blending in with the color, making it seem as though the shelves were empty. Anastasia stared longest at his bed, the dark wood beams reaching the ceiling while black sheer curtains draped over the head and foot of the bed. The deep green silk sheets shined, contrasted by the gold and black pillows, inviting enough for anyone to sleep in. And she had done so before, but it wasn't in the way of which Loki had hoped she first would, but somehow it worked out better.

In the corner across the room there was a table and a two chairs if he ever chose to dine in his private quarters, which he often did. An unfinished bottle of fine wine sat on the table from the previous night, when Loki attempted to drown his sorrows in drink as Anastasia had, but he was unsuccessful in his endeavours.

"What's going to happen now?" she wondered suddenly.

"Well," Loki began, "Even was not a beloved member of society, so I fear he will not be missed, and any punishment you are assigned would be futile."

"So I just got away with murder?" she asked, her voice upset.

"It would appear to be so," he agreed, squeezing her reassuringly. When she didn't answer he changed the topic of their conversation, "I was planning to ask you to attend the next celebration with me."

He smiled when she laughed, enjoying her amusement. "Are you asking me to be your date, Prince Loki?"

His heart fluttered when she said his name, leaving him to blush and hope she wouldn't notice. "If that is what it is considered on Midgard, than yes," he brought his lips to her ear and whispered, "Anastasia, will you be mine that evening?"

"I suppose so," she giggled like a child, confirming that she did, in fact, have feelings for him, even if she was laughing like a Midgardian schoolgirl.

"Your laugh is quite charming," he complimented. She didn't respond, but he felt he squirm only slightly under his arm. They sat in silence some more, watching the sky and feeling one another breath against each other, their heartbeats in sync.

"I would like to return to Midgard until the celebration," she spoke suddenly, unmoving. She must have felt his breath pause for she added, "I have some things that require my attention. I would ask you to join me, but you are needed here."

Loki sighed, knowing that she was right, but he was also worried what Father would say if he allowed her out of his sight. He also questioned whether or not Heimdal would open the Bifrost for her. "I don't think that is such a good idea, darling," he began. "The All-Father has a close eye on you and I believe neither of us wish to see you in the dungeons once more."

"I take that as a no," she huffed, pulling herself out of his arms, resisting as he tried to pull her back to him. "I'm not going to be killing anyone if that is what you are worried about," she snapped, rising from the window seat.

"Do not be feisty with me. Save that for a later date," he growled, following after her. "Would it really be so horrible for you to remain here?"

"Yes," she agreed, "It would certainly be this way."

"Shall I make your stay more enjoyable," he offered, wrapping a strong arm around her waist and pulling her into him.

After a moment of staring up at him, she relaxed, "I wouldn't object to that suggestion."

"Good," he whispered, placing a gentle hand on her cheek as he leaned in and kissed her.

She leaned into him after the shock passed, her hands making their way up his back and one finding itself in his hair. He regretted wearing his armor, preventing him from feeling her against him, the way she fit into him perfectly and the warmth that was probably radiating from her. Her kiss returned his passion, reluctantly welcoming him into her mouth as she let out a soft moan of pleasure and surprise. She felt like clay under his touch, molding herself to him, returning to him what he gave to her, yet her beauty remained unchanged.

When she grabbed a fistful of his raven hair, she pulled his head back from her, biting his lower lip in the process with enough force to make him bleed. He grunted in return, shaking off the throbbing pain of it and pulled her against him, his arms firmly around her waist and he deepened their kiss. Something was different now, the faint taste of blood in his mouth spilling into Anastasia's, but she was unfazed, even enticed by it as she pulled him closer to her. He was not sure of whether or not it was intentional, but he could feel her presence inside him, the energy from her body invading his own, awakening every cell in his being. Loki was high on her.

Before he could take it any further she pulled away, leaving them both to regain their composure. Loki was trying to steady his feet and clear his awestruck eyes while Ana's hand clutched her chest catching her breath as she tried to collect her thoughts.

"I will see you later," she spoke, taking a moment to hold his gaze in her blue eyes before she walked out. As soon as the door closed behind her he trotted to the door, suddenly realizing that she had, indeed, just walked out on him, but she had disappeared by time he entered the hallway. It was as if she held him in some sort of trance when she kissed him, but she appeared to be under the same spell with him. What bothered him the most was that she somehow managed to thwart off his questions and leave his sight, which he was not supposed to allow, and now he had no idea of when she would return.


	6. The Prince's Wound

**Thank you to everyone for supporting this story! I am very excited for what is to come since *drum rolls* it's crossover time! Recall Blood Thirsty Angle? Well, we are working together from pretty much this point forward. Her story is called The Contract and you must go read it to learn more about her OC who you will meet in this chapter and will forever be a part of Ana and Loki's story. So, do that, please :)**

* * *

Anastasia was away for only six short days, planning to return the evening of the celebration she was attending with Loki. The days were rather long, spending hours in solitude and meditation to get a handle on her power without the help of her pendant. It was not as difficult as she imagined it would be.

She made her way to the mountains of Asgard after she left Loki's chambers, wishing she could have stayed, but she knew what she had to do. In the mountains she found a clearing overlooking all of Asgard and she sat down at the edge, taking it all in as she tried to find her place of peace. Strangely, the peace she wanted then was Loki. She wanted to spend more time with him, to share more kisses, and sleep in his bed with him.

But as she relaxed on the mountain, she found her peace within herself, the wind flowing through her loose, curly blonde hair and across her pale skin. The smell of the world invaded her nose, filling her with sense of the universe and all it was made of, connecting her to every living thing. Eventually she fell asleep in that position, falling through the space of her mind, every single traumatic event attempting to break her concentration through their unique horrors, but none succeeded. Once she reached the bottom of the abyss she woke up, finding herself in an alien realm, though it was familiar to her.

"I am glad you have chosen to visit us," the Other greeted her, standing over her with his hands resting in front of him.

"Shut up," she told him, rising from her seat on the dusty, cold earth. "Where is Thanos?" she demanded of him.

"He had been expecting you," the Other motioned for her to follow through the rocky terrain to the staircase that led to Thanos's ridiculous floating throne. "Master," the Other began, "Anastasia has returned."

"I knew you would, child," came his deep voice as his chair turned around to face her. "Do tell, what is the purpose for your visit?" he requested.

"Don't act like you don't know," she snapped, pointing to her bare arm. "I thought you might be of some assistance."

The man nodded in acknowledgement, "What is in it for me?" he wondered.

"What would you like in return?" she crossed her arms and leaned to one side, not looking forward to his answer.

A evil grin crossed his face before he spoke, "Remember your lessons on the Infinity Stones?"

"Of course. Two people died because of that lesson, if you didn't recall," she sassed, feeling the Other's dead eyes glaring at her. "There are six stones with particular properties. Wielding one guarantees one great power, but wielding all six is grounds for universal domination. How could I forget?"

"The humans are closing in on the Tesseract. I can sense it. Bring me this and we may talk about your pendant," he bargained, his blue eyes unblinking as he stared her down.

"I don't think so," she laughed at his suggestion. "You know something I do not, and until you share it, I owe you nothing. And if I were not so naive I might even go as far as saying you have a reason for sending me on a mission." She stepped closer to his floating throne, "I am no fool."

Thanos released a sarcastic huff, his throne rising and turning back around so he could stare at the darkness, "Then I cannot help you," he said coldly.

"That's alright," Ana reassured him. "I got all I needed to, thank you very much, Thanos," she retorted sarcastically.

As she turned around and began to disappear she heard Thanos's final warning, "I suggest you keep a close eye on your Dark Prince, child."

Before she could respond she found herself teetering on the edge of the mountain, her mind racing to what Thanos was referring to, but it was obviously nothing good. She wanted to run back to Loki and warm him of Thanos's threat, but she still had other matters that needed her attention, and finding out more about her pendant was at the top of the list. In order to do that, she needed to return to the source, which required her to return to the source of all her torture: Midgard in another dimension.

Her days there were spent developing an identity so she could infiltrate the compound where she was held and the pendant was created. Her new name was Jessica Taylor, an inspector for the United States government that was sent to inspect the facility and update cold cases, such as her case as Anastasia, since her escape was one of the largest scandals in that particular world. Most of her time was devoted to forging documents and creating a story for her persona, who was a dedicated inspector with a reputation for taking bribes to protect company interests. It was one of the more difficult stunts she pulled, getting herself in rather sticky situation that could have spelled disaster.

The man who finally allowed her access to the secret layer of the compound was Dr. Francis Monk, a man who dedicated his life to researching Anastasia and how her powers worked, never getting any closer than the original idea of her pendant to control her. The area had been completely renovated, the technologies for more advanced than they were hundreds of years ago, but the cell in the center of the room was too familiar for comfort. There were still chains on the inside of it to hold her limbs and the walls were made of that impenetrable material that somehow managed to keep her prisoner for years.

"Is there anything specific you are looking for?" Dr. Monk asked as she wandered the room, glad that it looked different, but the feeling had not changed.

"I am interested in a particular object that was created for the subject. Something that could be described as a pendant?" she inquired.

"Oh yes! Unfortunately the prototype has not been replicated, but I can show you the original blueprints if that would satisfy your interest?" he offered. The man's excitement about her was disturbing, like she was the most wonderful alien the humans have ever encountered.

"That would be wonderful, Doctor," she thanked as he disappeared into the back room to retrieve the files.

When he returned with the box of all the important documents, he left her to go through the them. There were mostly schematics and equations that were irrelevant to her. She was searching for the special ingredient that allowed them to control her powers, but she wasn't seeing it anywhere. There was something in her pendant that Thanos wanted, and it was beyond important for her to discover what it was before it was too late.

"I have all I need. Thank you, Dr. Monk," she nodded to him as she exited the room, fully prepared never to see that room again. There was a part of her that wanted to blow up the entire compound, but that was in the past and she had to move forward from it.

But today was the evening of the celebration she agreed to attend with Loki. She would have to experiment with the pendant on her own time, hoping that Loki had recovered it during her absence. Thanks to her time on the mountain she realized she could travel through the worlds without her pendant using her mind and the energy flowing through her. It was easier than using the pendant because she wouldn't stress out on whether or not she would make it to her destination unharmed.

There was no hiding her excitement for seeing Loki again. She had even been planning her outfit her entire time away, fully expecting to get a jaw drop from what she had up her sleeve. Whether or not the rest of Asgard approved of her choice was not her concern.

* * *

The servants were running mad through the halls, carrying plates of foods and decorations throughout the palace, from the kitchen to the dining hall and to the dance hall. The guards were standing outside of every door, keeping their eyes peeled for any suspicious activity that could ruin the festivities of this evening. Loki wandered the halls, scanning every corner for signs of Anastasia since the celebration was drawing nearer. He even asked Heimdal if he could see her, which, to no surprise, he could not.

"Brother!" Thor caught him by the shoulder. "I am most looking forward to tonight. We have not held such a grand celebration since…" he paused, "Well I don't know!" he burst out laughing and slapped Loki on the back.

"Yes, brother," Loki nodded in agitation. "You do realize that it is not yet evening and you have already drank your fill." He continued searching the halls, hoping Ana would just pop up at some point.

Thor's laughter thundered the hall, all eyes taking a quick glance in their direction, "Do not be uptight, Loki! Your lady wouldn't miss this for the world, but I am certain she will join you tonight!" he nudged Loki.

"Please, excuse me, brother," he told Thor before slipping into another hallway and escaping from his annoying presence.

Anastasia had been away for six days and each day he grew more worried about her safety. Odin had begun to ask questions of her whereabouts, though Frigga realized that she had gone away, she said nothing to Father for which Loki was grateful. Thor was simply being a drunkard who nobody took seriously, another thing Loki was grateful for.

"Did you find it?" came Ana's voice suddenly from behind him. He turned around and saw her leaning against a column, one of her legs propped up with her arms crossed in front of her. Her white and red polkadot dress catching his eye, ending above her knee and the thin straps revealing her strong shoulders.

"Darling," he grinned widely, unable to contain the strange joy he felt from seeing her. He strode over to greet her, embracing her in his arms before placing a sweet kiss upon her lips. "Welcome back, my lady Anastasia," he kissed her once more, this time lingering long enough to feel the discouraging glances of those around them.

"You didn't answer my question," she teased, pulling away from him and leading him away by the hand.

"I apologize for being glad of your return," he countered, catching up with her and snatching her arm in his as she led them in the direction their chambers. "You are not even ready and we are expected to be prepared to enter shortly," he reminded her.

"Don't get your trousers in a bunch," she laughed as they made their way up the staircase. Neither of them could wipe the smiles off of their faces as they walked through the halls, constantly bumping into one another like a couple of lovesick youngsters.

As they approached Loki's chambers Ana released him, pushing him against his door and pulling him down to her height and kissing him passionately, but too quickly for him to recover from surprise and return it. "I will meet you downstairs," she whispered. "Dress your very best."

With that she ran off to her chambers without looking back, disappearing behind the doors leaving Loki alone, slumped against his door. She had just returned and she was acting as if nothing had changed, but they somehow managed to become closer over the distance. He dressed quickly, using his magic to perfect his appearance, not wanting anything less for Anastasia since this was their debut together. There was no doubt that Anastasia would make an impression on all of Asgard, which he was looking forward to.

Once dressed he made his way to the main hall, pausing right outside the door where Thor, he, and Anastasia would enter the Great Hall, the perfect opportunity for all of Asgard to to admire their princes. He wore his formal armor, his abdomen covered in the most expensive gold metal in all of Asgard, protecting his entire chest and his vital organs along his sides should he need it as well as a supportive collar around his neck. The armor continued across his shoulders and gold plates covered next to his biceps and his outer forearms as well as down his outer thighs to just above his knee where his deep brown trousers tucked into his tall, black boots. Underneath his armor he wore a dark, forest green tunic which blended nicely into his traditional green cape that was tucked into his armor. The only piece left was his horned helmet which he was holding in his hands, waiting for Anastasia before putting it on.

"I see you are prepared for this evening," came Thor's voice from behind him.

"As you are," Loki returned, offering a genuine smile.

Thor was adorned in his formal armor as well, his arms covered in silver plating and his forearms protected by metal plates over a red cover. His abdomen was completely protected by armor, the light and dark metals wrapping around him down to his navy trousers. His boots wrapped around his calves and knees, offering additional protection and his red cape was elegantly attached at his shoulders.

"I assume you have considered what Father's announcement may be," Thor began. He could not hide the grin on his face, fully believing that Odin would select him to inherit the throne.

Loki forced a laugh, "I have considered the possibilities."

"As have I," Thor boasted, placing his feathered helmet upon his head, his short blonde hair staying in place.

"Am I early," Anastasia tugged on Loki's cape. When he turned around he couldn't help but take a step back and look at her. Her hair was done up in a messy bun, a few loose curls shaping her round face, and her bright red lips bearing her perfectly white teeth. The brightness and wonder in her blue eyes had never been more obvious, the subtle eyeshadow and the wing of her eyeliner pulling him straight into her gaze. She wore a black dress with a low v-neck with subtle hints at the tight, gold silk slip beneath the thinner black fabric, an accessory just for him he assumed. From her mid thigh to her waist and up to her sleeveless shoulders there was a dark, thin metal plating, designed in a formation to look like flowers. Where the plating ended, a slit in her dress began, reaching all the way down to her feet so as to reveal her entire leg. Her dress flared out after it tightened around her waist, the black fabric inlaid with gold flakes to compliment his armor as it flowed freely about her and her tall black heels allowed her to reach his lips without him having to bend slightly.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes upon," Loki managed, his mouth fumbling on his words, shocked that Anastasia was actually his.

"You're not so bad yourself," she laughed, taking his helmet from his hands and placing it on his head. "That's better," she smiled. "You look like exactly like when we first me."

"Am I fitting to be yours now?" he teased, pulling her into him by the waist.

"More so," she grinned before he placed a sweet kiss upon her lips. He was growing accustomed to the freedom of showing her affection since before she would torture him with her words.

"Are you ready, Darling?" he inquired, her pendant suddenly appearing in his hands.

She grinned widely as she took it, placing it back on her arm and changing it to a shining gold shade. "Indeed," her eyes lit up as they positioned themselves in front of the door, taking her arm in his. It was tradition for the younger prince to enter before the older prince, but this way all eyes would certainly be on the new couple.

Once Loki nodded for the guards to open the doors they began walking forward, a sly and proud smile creeping over Loki's lips while Ana held her head high, an excited look on her face. Part of him wished he was standing in the crowd so he could watch Anastasia walk down the aisle to the front of the hall in her gown, but he would request her to model for him later.

* * *

Ana could feel Loki's eyes burning her skin, the way he looked at her with pride and longing and it only made her blush. All the other eyes in the room were worthless and only Loki's mattered, but she was glad he would be satisfied by the guests' gawking and intrigued whispers.

"Does this please you, _My Prince_?" she snickered, daring to tease him in front of all of Asgard. Her teasing had changed over the course of several weeks, using it initially to drive him into a frenzy, but now she did it with the purpose of easing the storm to come later.

"Watch your tongue," he warned, his eyes lowering to her lips only for a moment. "Play your part," he grinned.

"Don't I always," she laughed, meeting the Queen's eyes next to Odin at the throne, standing proudly as she watched her son and his lady make their way to them. Odin did not share this expression, rather his face unmoving as Ana smiled widely at him, laughing silently to herself that he could do nothing to stop her relationship with Loki.

The people around them clapped and hooted as they often did during these celebrations, their surprised gazes tending to fall on Anastasia, probably because of the fact she was holding the prince's arm. They were all adorned in the best gowns, armors, and suits the kingdom could offer, mostly light shades of yellow, blue, purple, and grey. Ana would be lying if she said she didn't believe she wore the most gorgeous dress that evening, not that she was arrogant or anything, but she just wasn't willing to lie to herself. Though Frigga wore a beautiful salmon colored gown, layering perfectly over her body and the long sleeves leading to her hands folded calmly in front her. Her hair was curled on top of her head but the back was left loose, flowing across her back.

"You look beautiful," she told the queen as they ascended the steps, Loki standing one higher than her, making her appear much shorter than she was while his hand rested on her back.

"You look even more so," Frigga glowed, her eyes turning back to the doors to await Thor's entrance. The warriors three and Sif stepped out of the crowd to join them on the steps, Sif below Anastasia and Hogun, Fandral, and Volstagg opposite from them, a spot the the top reserved just for Thor. When Thor erupted through the doors he did his traditional hype, waving to the crowd and pumping up their cheers as he sauntered down the aisle with the widest smile on his face that Ana had ever seen.

Once Thor had taken his place at the top of the stairs across from Frigga and the crowd had ceased their cheers, Odin stood, pounding Gungnir on the ground to signal it was time to make his announcement. "I am certain you have all wondered why we are gathered here today. Many decisions have been made concerning my heir and I am honored to have my first born, Thor, succeed me in two weeks time," he said proudly, his last words being drowned out by the cheers of Asgard's people. "My second born, Loki, shall wait and in time become advisor to the Realm Eternal," he continued, though few people could hear over the crowd.

When Odin announced Thor to be king, Ana swore she saw fury in Loki's eyes before he switched to excitement, but he clearly wasn't pleased. Frigga gave him an acknowledging smile, but all thoughts excluding hers and Ana's were on Thor. Ana could only imagine how salty Loki would be the rest of the evening since he was not the greatest at being pleasant, especially when he was furious on the inside.

As she predicted, the rest of the evening was dull, Loki even refusing to dance with her, but that didn't stop her from dancing with anyone else, so he watched full of jealousy and anger as she laughed and danced about the hall with other men. It would have been more enjoyable if Loki could have just spent the night in her company instead of moping around seemingly pleased but truly annoyed. Thor was so ecstatic that he would be king he didn't even need a goblet of ale to put him in a jolly mood that was contagious to anyone around him, which was uplifting considering Loki's state.

When they sat down for the feast Loki remained grumpy, refusing so much as looking at her, which was a real disappointment considering their exchange before the announcement. He spoke few words to Ana but when he did they were short and harsh, his temper on a short fuse.

"So what are we to do after our meal?" she nudged at him playfully while they were at the table. He grumbled an indecipherable response which only left her with the urge to smack him for being so depressing. "This is an evening of celebration. Can you not at least try and enjoy yourself?" she wondered, taking a sip of ale.

"The efforts would be futile, Darling," he sighed, unamused by her.

Ana allowed her mind to wander as she and Loki ate in silence, observing the people content around them, their smiles blooming and their laughter filling her ears. "So I had an idea," she turned to Loki, placing a flirtatious hand on his knee. He turned his head and raised a brow, at least interested in what she might suggest.

As soon as she was going to finish her sentence a loud crashing came from down the table and they had a chance to look down at the disturbance as a young girl on a moped came careening down the table, throwing food and plates in all directions. Loki was leaning on his hand, watching her pass by, using his magic to create a field that protected he and Ana from the flying food.

The forty or so people that were seated at the table shouted in shock or stood up in fear at what had just happened. It happened so quickly, the girl's bright turquoise moped speeding between the patrons and the girl in obvious shock as she met Ana's gaze before continuing down off of the table, launching off a short distance from Frigga at the end of the table, her moped sliding across the floor.

Once the girl landed with a thud Frigga went to her side while Ana and Loki rose to check on the scene as well. "Mother fucking shit! Holy fucking shit, that fucking hurt!" Ana heard the girl screaming as they rounded the table. She could see the girl clutching her wrist in obvious pain and it was clearly broken from how she landed.

Frigga kneeled down next to her, a comforting smile on her face, "Are you alright, my dear?"

"What the fuck? Oh my God, who the fuck are you? Where fuckity fuck shit am I?" she heard the girl curse some more. Judging by her limited vocabulary at the moment, Ana easily deduced that she was from Midgard. She knelt down on beside the queen while Loki stood behind her, the slit in her dress revealing more skin than she would have liked, but it didn't matter much. The girl stared up at her with piercing blue eyes, black hair dangling over her face. "Who the fuck are you?" she asked, flinching as she got closer.

"Calm the fuck down," Ana laughed, amused by the human's senseless fright, but the girl was still scared.

"Get the fuck away from me!" she attempted to scooch away from them but it was useless.

"Do be aware this is the queen you are speaking to," Loki chimed in, nodding to Frigga trying to make the girl understand that her language was inappropriate.

"Shit," she said to herself, stopping her scooting to see Frigga's raised brow. "Man, I really fucked up this time," she went on.

"Are you alright?" Frigga asked once more, placing a concerned hand on the girl's shoulder. "You made quite the entrance this evening."

"No fucking shit!" she hollered, clutching her wrist again, "Where the fuck am I? Who the fuck are you people?" The girl looked around in confusion, which clearly set her off on a cursing rampage.

"Let me see your wrist," Ana tried reaching for it, but the girl pulled it away.

"No, you stay the hell away from me!"

"Just give it here," Ana took her wrist anyways and quickly healed it with her energy, ignoring her cries of pain as the injury was reversed.

The girl pulled her hand away and snapped, "What the fuck did you do to me?"

"You're welcome," Ana said flatly, shrugging.

As the girl tried to rise from the floor a pair a guards came up and grabbed her by the arms. "Bring her to the Great Hall," Frigga ordered, rising from her knees. "Gently," she added as they lifted her from the ground and proceeded to escort her out of the room and the long way to the Great Hall.

They watched as the girl was led out of the dining hall, the guests mumbling amongst themselves, but Frigga spoke to them, "I assure you this will be handled. Please, continue your feast," she smiled. Then she turned to Loki, Ana, and Thor, "Let us join Odin in the Great Hall immediately."

The three followed the queen as she led them to a secret passageway between the halls, or more like a magic portal that they entered and came out in the Great Hall. "Odin," Frigga nodded to the king as he sat upon his throne since he had left the feast as soon as the girl appeared. "Do go easy on the child, she is still in shock," she told him, though he clearly was not in the mood to listen to her advice.

The guards then entered the hall, dragging the girl between them as they brought her before Odin. "How did she get here?" Ana asked of Loki who appeared to be just as puzzled as she.

"I do not know," he responded simply.

"What is your name, child?" Odin inquired angrily of the girl.

"Why the fuck do you want to know," she snapped, but was quickly hushed by the sound of Gungnir pounding on the ground for the second time that evening.

Ana swayed her hip into Loki, "And you thought I was bad," she whispered, a faint smile creeping across Loki's face.

The girl apparently overheard her as she turned and hissed, "Why the fuck are you following me? What are you, some kind of child molester?"

Loki couldn't hold back his snicker, the idea of Ana being a child molester so far fetched it sounded ridiculous. Ana glared at him but he only shrugged; his explanation why was obvious. Taking a few steps forward she spoke to the girl, trying to convince her to calm down, "I was in your position not long ago, so I suggest you pipe the fuck down. Okay?" She offered her a smile, but the girl had other plans.

"Can it skank!" she yelled at Ana before turning her attention back to Odin who was watching, frustrated with both women. "Will someone explain where the hell I am?" she inquired impatiently.

Loki stepped between Ana and the girl so as to avoid any more potential conflict. "Father," he began, "might I suggest a night in the dungeon so this child may collect her wits." Anastasia stepped to his side and he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her next to him.

"I'm not a child! I'm fourteen!" the girl complained, not overly fond of being referred to as a child when she was a human teenager. Compared to the rest of the people in the room, the girl was like an infant.

"Take her to the dungeons," Odin waved them away and sitting himself back on his throne. "We will send for you when you have recovered your manners," he addressed the girl condescendingly. "Go now!" he ordered impatiently, "Take her away!"

"Shit," the girl whined as the guards began to lead her to the dungeons. "Fuck. My. Life," she mumbled to herself as she exited the room, leaving the rest of them to exchange confused glances with one another.

* * *

After such an eventful evening Loki was ready to relieve his stress either by magic or other means. The latter seemed more probable as Anastasia followed him to his chambers, still upset that he had ignored her the entire time. They walked in their usual silence but with abnormal distance between them, both of their minds in critical thought.

"Are you coming in?" Loki inquired when they reached his chamber doors.

"I still have to yell at you, don't I?" she let go of his arm and let herself in his room. "There is much we need to discuss," she trailed off, sitting herself on the window seat once more, the wind blowing her gown about her.

"Of course, Darling," he offered a weak smile, swiftly changing into his casual tunic and pants with a swipe of his hand. He didn't feel he was worthy of such armor presently, being passed over as heir even though he was clearly the better fit for the throne.

"So why the attitude?" she wondered, patting beside her for him to sit down and he did so without complaints.

"You are clever enough to draw your own conclusions," he smiled, desperately trying to avoid the question. It was not that Ana wouldn't understand because she certainly would, he just did not want to admit that he was resentful that Thor would be king. "Must we focus on the past? This moment is much more preferable," he grinned deviously, leaning in to kiss her but she held a finger to his lips.

"Try as you might, but I won't allow you to change the subject," she scolded him. "Now, explain the attitude."

Loki rolled his eyes, "That information is confidential," he teased her.

Ana glared at him, not the slightest bit amused. "You owe me an explanation."

"Do you not owe me for all of the torture I've endured through your teasing?" he moved closer to her, seeing her gaze falter from the movement. He would admit that he wanted her that night long before he would admit that he was jealous of Thor. "Model your gown for me, will you?" he requested in a low whisper.

"I don't think so," she pushed him back slightly, growing more agitated with him.

"Darling," he pleaded with her, but she was having none of it, only glaring at him, her bright eyes losing their color.

"I trusted you with Thanos," she began, "Can you at least trust me with the simplest of your feelings?" She looked into his eyes and he could see the hurt behind them. It had been a huge step for her to open up to him and risk both of their lives, but it was more painful if her care and trust was not reciprocated.

"I thought you knew me well enough for these questions to be avoided," he mumbled, unable to refuse her much longer. It would be good for him to share his feelings, he just could never find the right person with whom he could talk to.

Ana rolled her eyes at him. "If you do not wish to speak then I do not wish to be here," she turned to leave the room, but he caught her arm.

"Darling," he pleaded with her, but she refused to look at him. "Don't be this way."

"Be honest with me," she told him plainly.

Loki took a deep breath, using that moment to collect his thoughts as Ana turned back to him. "I am not overly pleased that Thor has been chosen to be king," he admitted, the thought of envy tasting bitter in his mouth. "You know as well as I do that he is not prepared," he continued. "He is arrogant, ignorant, dull, and irresponsible. Why would Odin trust him with ruling Asgard?" He stopped himself, realizing he was _venting_ to someone about his feelings.

"Are you jealous? Ana wondered, only a little surprised by the fact he had more than three emotions.

"Possibly," he agreed, enjoying the look on her face.

"Why?" she asked, ruining the moment of relishment he was having. "What reason would you have to be jealous aside from the obvious?" she clarified.

"Must I explain?" he sneered, getting more annoyed with her persistence.

"You must," she told him simply, blinking persuasively up at him.

He glared down at her, narrowing his eyes for a moment, but he eventually softened them, her kind eyes looking past his mask making it impossible for him to be angry with her. "Has the queen not told you?" he inquired.

"She mentioned something about equality," she grabbed his hand so they could sit on the edge of his bed.

Loki sat down uncomfortably, fiddling with his hands between his spread legs. He rarely opened up to people about what he was feeling. He couldn't even tell Anastasia that he _cared_ for her, which left him to wonder how he could tell her how he felt about others. "Growing up Thor was always the favored child of Father," he began, looking about the room for something to focus on other than Ana. "Thor was the stronger and more outgoing of us, so I worked hard to make myself worthy in Father's opinion," he paused, taking Ana's hand in his. "Mother shared with me her magic so I could feel equal to my brother, but magic is not seen as a skill, but rather a trick, therefore it only brought more grief from Father."

Ana was silent, waiting patiently to see if he would anything else. When he didn't, she drew her conclusions finally, "So you feel inferior to Thor?"

"That would be a correct assumption," he forced a smile. "I never did wish for the throne. I simply wished for equal consideration for it."

"Did you tell Odin this?"

"Of course not," he scoffed at the idea. "I have been nothing more to him as an ambassador, handling affairs not fit for Thor, which are large in number."

He thought about his brother for a while, Ana leaving him to his thoughts. They were close as children, pulling pranks on the guards and handmaidens around the palace and getting into trouble together with his magic and Thor's confidence. Those years were full of fond memories, running through the halls laughing at whatever devious act they had just committed. Then they grew older; Thor began focusing more on his training while Loki was training in both combat and magic, the former being more difficult for him. But with Frigga's guidance he mastered his craft of magic and continued his studies independently while he was perfecting his method of combat which differed from Thor's more overpowering approach.

All Loki wanted was the best for Asgard, and at the present moment Thor was not a worthy king. The least Odin could do was allow them to rule together at the beginning until Thor gained enough maturity to rule the Nine Realms on his own with Loki as his trusted advisor. But even this was too much to ask. The hardest part for him was trying to accept that Odin would never see him as his greatest son or even the equal to Thor, which is all he could ever ask for. Frigga often reminded him they were both unique individuals with their own strengths, so they could not be compared, but that didn't stop Father. There was always that resentment towards Thor, even though he couldn't control the fact he was Father's favorite.

His thoughts were interrupted by Anastasia squeezing his hand and snapping him back into reality. He just looked at her and wondered why she was with him of all people in the universe. Other men would treat her like a goddess compared to how he treated her, which spoke volumes about what she valued in a person. It didn't matter who he was or what title he had to her, she just connected with him. He could go as far as to say that the fates meant for her to be his, and he hers, but he would not admit this anytime soon.

"I cannot say that I understand," she nodded, "But I can sympathize." She looked at him, the smile on her face revealing her thanks for his sharing. It wasn't as hard as he thought it would be either, but he would not do this often.

"Thank you, Darling," he said sincerely, bringing her hand to his lips for a sweet kiss. "You truly are exceptional, Anastasia," he smiled.

"I know," she blushed, the subtle red pigment in her cheeks sending him over the edge.

He pulled her to his lips aggressively, one hand on the back of her head while the other was at her hip, urging her to his lap. She returned his sudden passion, situating herself comfortably on top of him so she was straddling him between her legs, only separated from her by his leather pants and her crumpling was no doubt in his mind that he wanted her then, not only as a release for the day's frustrations but also to strengthen their connection, both figuratively and literally. The way in which she returned his kiss made him believe that she wished for the same.

* * *

Ana could barely believe what she was doing, succumbing to his temptation far earlier than she had originally planned. Yet here she was, straddling the dark prince underneath her, knowing very well where the evening was going. She didn't completely object to the situation either, regardless of the fact it was brought on primarily by the stressful day they just had, but the anticipation had been building since the day they first met, dancing in the hall in their own little world.

She could feel his cool hands through her gown as he grabbed her bare leg, encouraging her to wrap herself around him tighter. Her hands ran desperately through his now messy raven hair, massaging his scalp with her nails and pulling at his hair, causing him to moan lightly into her mouth. Loki easily moved them further up the bed and laid down on the sheets, allowing Ana full control of the situation, which wouldn't last long she assumed. She placed kissed on his mouth and jaw, massaging his neck lightly with her mouth as his hands traveled up and down her body.

"Somebody is in a hurry," he teased her as she helped him slide out of his green tunic, a light finger traveling down the center of his body to the hem of his pants. He grabbed her hand instantly and whispered threateningly into her ear, sending chills up her spine, "We are doing this my way, pet," he bit at her lip.

But Ana had other ideas, pulling away far enough to slap him firmly across the face, "You are _mine_ ," she growled, easing him back down on the silk sheets

Loki wouldn't allow her to be the dominant one, so once she got him onto his back he flipped them over roughly, laying his body on top of hers. "And _you_ are _mine_ ," he whispered in her ear before ravaging her mouth once more, the weight of his entire being pressing onto her. She dug her nails into his back and shoulders, bracing herself against him but it only caused him to act more roughly. He pulled at her hair and teased her through the fabric of her dress as she whined underneath him. "Say my name," Loki mumbled into her chest, his mouth exploring every bit of her.

"Would that satisfy you?" she teased, her hands running through his hair.

He paused, looking up from her chest and meeting her eyes, "Indeed," he grinned before raising himself enough that he could get a good grip on her dress and he tore off of her, leaving her only to gasp in surprise and burst out in laughter. Tossing the dress aside he took a moment to stare at her exposed body, wearing nothing but a skimpy pair of black underwear which would soon disappear as well.

"Loki-." she began, interrupted as his mouth landed on hers, his tongue massaging hers slowly as he began to grind against her, causing her to let a few gasps out in shock, being unprepared for it to escalate so quickly. As strange as it was for her, she let him take control since the change was exciting and Loki seemed to know what he was doing, whether or not that was a good thing or not. They remained in that position for a decent amount of time, the process not being rushed at all as they relished in each other's' touch. She could feel his growing desire as he could likely feel hers as they deepened their kiss, becoming more and more passionate with each passing minute.

Ana still wanted more, grabbing his head firmly she bit his lip once more, hard enough to make him bleed. He didn't object, only grimacing at the pain before resuming their kiss. She noticed something different this time, something in his blood that wasn't quite right, like it was cold as she absorbed it into her body, feeling his presence throughout her entire being as he could feel hers now.

The thought quickly fled her mind as Loki began to play with her, almost sending her into a frenzy already. But once more she felt something conflicting, glancing at her pendant as Loki's tongue moved down her body. It was threatening her, serving as the tool that could make any situation end badly, "Rip it off," she told him.

He looked at her in confusion, but did as she requested, removing the pendant from her skin with a quick tug, her cry of pain muffled in his mouth. "Now?" he inquired, a devious grin on his face. All she did was bite her lower lip and he carried on, tugging gently at her underwear, pulling it down slowly as he watched her reaction, his eyes never leaving hers. He smirked at her, "You are much too eager, Darling," he teased.

"As are you," she sat up suddenly and began undoing the buckle that held his pants up, her hands fumbling until he stopped her and finished it himself. He removed them gracefully somehow, watching her as he did so, reveling in her reactions to everything he did.

"Does _this_ please you, Anastasia?" he wondered after he exposed his naked body to her, smiling from the corner of his mouth in satisfaction.

"Of course, _My Prince_ ," she teased, grabbing his hands and pulling him back on top of her, the feeling of his skin pressed on every inch of her set something off inside of her that was unrecognizable. The feeling was one of losing control in the moment, her body starting to act on its own while her mind wanted something else. Every time his fingers slipped inside of her, a part of her fell apart under his touch, her primal urges growing more and more potent.

"Fuck me!" she shouted, finally reaching the point at which she couldn't bear anymore teasing. She dug her nails deep into his skin and wrapped her legs around his waist, begging for him to finish her.

His face reflected pain and arousal, "As you wish," he panted, sweat running down his brow as he repositioned himself at the right angle, devouring her mouth once more. She pulled and pushed against him, treating him roughly as he took his time to do as she asked. Soon she felt him thrust inside her, her eyes opening wide as she bit down on his tongue unintentionally, causing him to push her shoulder down to keep from moving. Arching her back into him she embraced his following slow and steady movements, occasionally meeting his lustful eyes. If she weren't so far gone she would have noticed the fear in his as her eyes dulled even further, on the verge of losing control.

He leaned in closer to her, " _You are mine now_ ," he whispered and she could only nod in response. With that devious grin he steadied himself and increased his pace, his eyes closed, relishing in his own approaching end as she did hers. She held onto him for all things good in her life, her body quickly beating out her mind for control as she felt release after one final thrust and Loki fell on top of her, low moans escaping his mouth while she was gasping, the pleasure she felt flowed through her body. But it didn't stop there as she felt her mind slip and brought back to reality as the room shook around her and Loki released more moans in ecstasy before rolling of to her side.

They lay beside one another in silence, each recovering their breath as their chests heaved, sweat running down their bodies. Loki was the first to move, turning on his side and wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close as he conjured a blanket to cover their bodies. He ran his fingers through her hair, watching intently as the color returned to her eyes and she threw a leg over his waist, still wanting to be close to him.

"You are a masterpiece," he told her lightly as his fingers lingered on her skin.

Ana only smiled, still trying to regain her composure. No man had ever been able to satisfy her and Loki did not only once, but twice in a short span of time. Staring at his emerald eyes she wished she could see what he was thinking, to see how on earth he did what he just did to her. Then her thoughts raced back to the taste of his blood, but she closed her eyes, unwilling to think about it while she was lying comfortably in Loki's arms. It was a thought for another time.


	7. Don't Ask, Don't Tell

**It's about time for an update. Sorry for the wait, I have a life outside of story writing. But alas, it is time, the crossover is getting in full swing with Blood Thirsty Angle, so I may suggest reading The Contract to get a better idea of Neena. Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

They had fallen asleep in one another's arms during the night after their little affair. Ana woke up in an empty bed, sprawled out under the silk sheets, still naked. The doors then opened to Loki's room and he strode in with a tray of food and a kind smile on his face, lighting up slightly when he saw she was awake. "Good morning, Darling. I seem to recall you had a bit of a rough night," he smirked.

Ana huffed and rolled onto her stomach, still exhausted. "You could say that," she mumbled into the pillow, feeling Loki sit on the edge of the bed and snatching the sheets off of her. "Hey!" she hollered, trying and failing to cover herself without success, forgetting she could have used magic to dress herself.

Loki stared at her again, taking in the sight of her, which made her blush, suddenly self conscious of her body. "I would offer another round," he laid a soft hand on her thigh, "but we have business to attend to shortly."

"And what would that be?" she inquired, crossing her legs to ward off his wandering gaze.

"The queen retrieved the girl from the feast. I must say I am curious to learn more, are you not?" he wondered, placing the tray of food in her lap, from which he stole a few slices of meat.

"I've been a bit preoccupied," she retorted, finally using magic to clothe herself in black skinny jeans and a flowing dark green tank top, mostly to please Loki. She took her pendant from Loki's outstretched hand and placed it back on her arm, thankful he kept it safe for her.

"You look lovely," Loki complimented her, stealing another slice of meat from her plate before she could slap his greedy hand away. "Do finish quickly, I do not wish to miss this," he told her before walking out onto the balcony.

Ana's eyes followed him, noticing his stride was more confident for obvious reasons, but he held his shoulders in a way which looked painful. It was easy to deduce that all of the times she had dug her nails into his back had caused a decent amount of damage. "Let me see your back," she requested of him in between bites of her brunch.

He sighed, but did as she wished, walking back to the bed and sitting next to her, the top part of his armor disappearing so she could see the cuts in his skin. He had washed earlier in the morning so the blood had been washed away but her nails left clean cuts from his shoulders to his lower back. She placed her hand on his back to heal him but he pulled away, "I'll keep them as a reminder," he smirked, unfazed by the injuries, wearing them almost like battle scars. Ana, on the other hand, remained unscathed since Loki was gentle with her, at least for their first time. He eventually put his armor back on, asking her "Are you finished?"

"Yes," she rolled her eyes before sliding out of the luxurious bed. "Where to?" she grabbed his arm as they exited his chambers, oblivious to the looks of the servants as she appeared at his side.

"My mother's private quarters. Where you first kissed me, if you don't recall," he reminded her even though she remembered it vividly.

As they made their way to Frigga's quarters they saw Thor appear across the hall, holding a bag in his hand and a huge grin on his face, one that couldn't be explained solely by the fact he would be king. Loki ignored his brother's greeting, allowing Thor to enter first.

"Mother! I have eaten one," he held up the bag to show it to Frigga. "They are delicious!" He turned the bag to read the label and directed his question to the black haired girl, "What are these Tacooos?" The girl cringed at the word 'tacooo,' but Thor was oblivious as he brought one to Frigga, "Mother, you must try these delicacies," he exclaimed vibrantly. "Here, eat one," he held out a taco for her.

"I'll try one later, my son," Frigga dismissed his offer. "Right now I am speaking with Neena," she gestured to the girl standing across from her by the balcony.

"Mother," Loki began, leading them further into the room, "Did Father permit you to release the prisoner?" He exchanged a suspicious glance with Neena who then glared at him angrily.

"No," Frigga answered easily, placing a gentle hand on Neena's shoulder. "Young ladies do not belong in prison. And didn't get Ana out of prison, Loki?" she questioned him, not expecting him to come up with an excuse.

Loki rolled his eyes at her question, "Thor and I agreed upon the conditions of her release," he countered, clutching Ana's arm tighter. "We did not agree to have this child released as well," he stated snarkily.

"You did not hesitate to release Ana," Frigga narrowed her eyes at her son.

"I actually wasn't imprisoned at all, if you remember correctly," she brought up, finally meeting the girl's eyes again. "How was your night in prison, Neena?" she inquired with a bit of sass.

"It fucking sucked," she responded flatly. "What did you do to get on the old pirate's bad side?"

Ana raised a brow, slightly impressed by Neena's spunk. "I attempted to kill him upon our first meeting," she shrugged, "Not such a big thing in the grand scheme of things." She could sense Loki's internal amusement at her bluntness, but he knew that Odin started the fight.

"Wow, that's fucked up," the girl stated frankly. "And you're with tall, dark, and creepy?" she asked, referring to Loki.

"You could say that. Draw what conclusions you may," Ana shrugged again while Loki rolled his eyes, both remembering their first night together. She couldn't help hinting at it in public, adding to the excitement of the event.

"So you're together? And pirate guy approves," she rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Doubt it."

"The All-Father does not really have a say in what I can and cannot do," Ana smirked, noticing how Loki straightened his posture, clearly growing uncomfortable with her innuendos.

"So you're screwing the All-Father's son? Wow, you're more of a skank than I thought," Neena sassed, her words hitting Anastasia rather harshly. "Can I go home now?" she asked no one in particular.

Ana's eyes widened, "Come here and say that," she broke free of Loki's arm and took threatening steps forward. It wasn't normal that a child's words could agitate her so much, but she had just spent the night with Loki and she was a tad bit sensitive on the subject. Part of her wanted to say that it was because she had true feelings for him that she was offended by Neena's calling her a skank, but now was not the time for critical thinking.

Neena stepped forward as well, raising her chin in boldness, "I said that you're a skank. Or would you rather prefer the word slut?" she spat.

Ana conjured a silver baton attached to her pendant and closed the distance between she and Neena before taking a swing and smacking her knees, sending her buckling to the ground. "Watch yourself," she warned.

"Fuck you, you psycho bitch!" Neena cried, grabbing at her injured knees. "Fuck, that really hurt!"

Ana rolled her eyes, twirling the baton in her hands, "No shit. If you can't take what you dish out, I suggest you stop your bitching." She could feel all eyes on her, Frigga's disapproving, Thor's shocked, and Loki's impatient. She couldn't help it. The way she was taught was that when someone attacks or challenges her, it was cause for violence, even though she knew deep down it was wrong.

"Anastasia, that is enough," Frigga stepped in between the two, looking to Ana's baton until it disappeared. "Neena, are you alright, child?" she asked, kneeling down next to her.

"Dammit, I'm not a child!" Neena shouted.

Frigga cast a withering look at Ana, "Heal her. Now."

"Get that bitch away from me!" Neena yelled as Ana knelt in front of her, beyond agitated with the girl's attitude. There was not an ounce of respect or thought put into her words, which was not acceptable in her opinion.

"Get over yourself," Ana backhanded her across the face, not meaning to, the action just happening. There was no regret though, as she grabbed her knees and quickly healed them. As soon as her knees were healed, Neena lifted her right leg and landed a swift kick to her face. She could hear the weak gasps around the room as she wiped her nose, seeing the blood dripping on her hand. "That's it," she snapped, grabbing Neena by the arm and lifting them both easily to their feet and slammed her up against the wall, bringing her dagger next to the girl's face. "I am trying really hard not to kill you right now," she growled.

Loki stepped up behind her, prying her arms off of Neena. "That's enough, Darling," he murmured into her ear in attempt to calm her down, but it didn't work. She allowed him to pull her away, but then he continued, "Don't let this child rile you up." Immediately Ana turned to him and slapped him firmly across the face before backing further away. "Alright then," he mumbled to himself, clearly pleased, stretching out his jaw.

Neena then proceeded to slump against the wall, hitting her head in the process. "What the fuck is happening?" she wondered to herself.

Frigga placed herself between Neena and the rest of them, "Can we please have a grown up discussion?" Frigga asked of them all, not pleased one bit. "Ana, you are over eight hundred years old, grow up. Loki, you are responsible for Ana; you should keep a better eye on her. Thor, stop eating the poor child's tacos," she reprimanded all of them.

They all look at her, dumbfounded. Ana was cross, not enjoying the idea that someone was responsible and now she was being chastised like a child. "Are you implying that this is my fault?" Loki inquired, clearly offended.

"No," Frigga began, "I am implying that it is all of your faults," she corrected. She helped Neena to her feet, looking at her sternly, "And you need to watch your mouth before Ana or someone worse rips it off."

"It would be a complete shame if she didn't have it, I agree," Ana couldn't help but remark, now sitting in a chair that was slightly behind Loki, earning the middle finger from Neena. She admitted it was refreshing to have an argument with a Midgardian, the pathetic way in which they spoke was entertaining.

"And it would be a shame if you didn't have your boyfriend to keep a leash on you!" Neena sneered, against the queen's advice.

Ana began to rise from her seat, but Loki prevented her from stepping forward, "Darling, she is only a child. She will learn her manners eventually." He then turned to Neena, "I suggest sooner rather than later."

"And I suggest you put your bitch on a leash. _I_ suggest sooner rather than later," Neena challenged, ignoring the rage painted over Ana's face.

"You've done it now," Ana hissed, shoving Loki aside and trudging toward Neena, grabbing her by the throat and immediately began draining the life from her. She realized that she was losing control, feeling her eyes change their shade and her body taking control, but she couldn't help it. It's how she was trained; it was a habit. "Anything else you wish to say?" she asked Neena, hoping she dared to speak once more.

"Fuck you!" she croaked before Ana swung with her free hand and knocked her unconscious, her body falling limp to the floor.

As Neena was lying unconscious on the floor, Ana finally began to cool down and Loki gave her much needed space so she wouldn't snap at him. Frigga immediately turned her attention to Neena, saying something to her but it went in one ear and out the other. She couldn't hear anything, only the thoughts running through her mind, the feeling uncomfortably familiar. It was one of those moments where she lost control, returning to the person she once was, or still is.

The girl's words meant nothing to her, but being attacked snapped something inside of her, triggering that reflex that said _kill_. All the emotions she was feeling were overwhelming. Firstly, there was the love building inside of her for Loki that left her vulnerable, which put her on edge. Then there was the fact that the pendant she was wearing was a lie, though she did not yet know its secrets. And finally, here was a young girl in almost the same position as herself that she had just attempted to kill, or at least critically injure.

That part of her that belonged to Thanos was raging, her body craving bloodshed and the strong energy of a youthful soul. He would have told her to savor the process, make it slow and painful, never faltering or questioning her actions, yet the other part of her knew that what she had just done was wrong, but she didn't feel the guilt, only a small portion of it. She couldn't force herself to feel something that she was incapable of. One life was meaningless to her, as awful as she knew it sounded.

"The girl," Anastasia muttered, sensing the girl's energy inside her. It was odd, but not the same way as Loki's was. Hers was contaminated, not fully Midgardian like she thought. "She is part Asgardian," she glanced at Frigga who had been attempting to speak to her for some time. "That girl," she glanced around, noticing that her body had been removed, "She is a halfbreed."

"That cannot be," Thor interjected for the first time, the bag of tacos still in his hand. "Interaction with Midgardians is outlawed across the Nine Realms," he stated cluelessly.

"Not everyone follows your laws," Ana retorted, naturally snappy. "Someone had other ideas," she trailed off, glancing in Loki's direction, wondering if he knew his own secret.

"I must attend to her," Frigga nodded to Ana, still upset by her actions, but thankful for the insight on the black haired girl.

Ana's eyes were locked on Loki, her mind racing as she stared blankly at him. He was one of the most proper Asgardians she had ever met, knowing the diplomacy of the Nine Realms and using that to protect the universe. He spoke like an Asgardian, fought like one, thought like one, and cared like one. Yet underneath his pale skin was a Jotun, and he didn't even know it.

* * *

 _Jotunheim was once a powerful world of advanced giants with a certain taste for war. Ana had done extensive research on the people and culture of the Jotuns at the request of Thanos for reasons she never found out. Nowadays the world was shattered, its once staggering cities fallen to the ground in a barren and cold wasteland since their power had been taken from them._

 _Thanos had introduced her to the new world when she was young, setting an example of how he could transform an innocent child into a monster. He now sent her back to Jotunheim with a mission and an alliance to offer. Ana hadn't spoken with King Laufey before, but with the help of Thanos's training, she was not afraid in the slightest._

 _She teleported herself instantly to the center of the city, before the empty throne of the king. She wrapped her leather coat around her tightly, pulling up the fur-laced hood to shield her ears from the cold wind. "Come out, come out, wherever you are," she chimed, glancing around the city center at the destruction that remained. The snow was falling lightly from the deep blue sky, the whole situation feeling cold and desolate._

 _Suddenly a figure appeared from behind the shattered wall, deep orange eyes glaring at her, "I have been waiting for this day," he spoke plainly. "Are you not cold, child?" he smirked, his low voice echoing the vicinity as he sat upon his throne before her._

" _It's hard to be cold when everything inside you is dead," she shrugged, "You should know."  
_ " _What may I do for you?" he inquired suspiciously, reclining back in his throne as he stared her down._

" _I have a proposition for you," she began before Laufey interrupted._

" _I do not associate my people with the Mad Titan," he snarled, disgusted at the very thought of Thanos._

" _It's my proposition, I assure you," Ana took a few steps closer, removing her hood so he could see her clearly, her eyes black and empty. "I am certain you remember the Casket of Ancient Winters?"_

 _Laufey's eyes darted up to hers, urging her to go on._

" _It is locked away in the vaults of Asgard, as you may well know," she paused, making sure she had his full attention. "I have a feeling I could be of some assistance retrieving said casket in the foreseeable future."_

" _Why should I believe you?" Laufey questioned, definitely intrigued, yet not wanting to get hopeful only to be disappointed once more._

" _What if I told you that many years ago, a Frost Giant babe was taken back to Asgard after the war? And I know for a fact that this very child is residing in Asgard under a disguise." Ana looked up at the king, seeing the thoughts racing through his thick mind, pleased that he was so easily coerced._

" _And what would you desire in return?" Laufey sat up in his throne, thoroughly considering the possibility._

" _A mere favor in time is all I request," Ana smiled sweetly. "A girl can never be certain of when she may need the aid of a Jotun," she continued, leaving the rest up to Laufey's imagination._

 _A smile crossed the giant's lips and he stood up slowly, making his way over to where Anastasia was standing, unmoving. "Prove to me you are capable of this task," he told her, his tone revealing that he already knew what she could do._

" _Bring me your finest warrior. I don't wish to kill a king such as yourself," she smirked, her scepter appearing in her hand. The truth was hard to admit, but she enjoyed flaunting her power to those who doubted her, seeing the fear in their eyes as she stole the life force from another living being so effortlessly. That was the monster in her._

 _As soon as Laufey lifted his hand a larger, more intimidating Jotun appeared from nowhere, fists already covered iced daggers. Ana glanced back up at Laufey, rolling her eyes at how easy of a task it would be before strolling over to the other Jotun carelessly. The giant immediately took a swing at her which she ducked away from before maneuvering herself in such a way to cut him across the chest with her sharp scepter. He laughed, thinking that her weapon was too weak to penetrate his thick skin, but his smile faded as soon as Ana lifted her hand, the energy seeping from his wound into her body. She held Laufey's gaze the entire time, watching him flinch only for a second before remaining unfazed by the sight of his most triumphant warrior slowly die from a mere flesh wound._

" _Are you pleased?" Anastasia questioned sarcastically as the giant's body fell limp on the cold, hard ground with a thud. When he grinned at her she added, "I've never had a Jotun before. You are all so… cold," she smirked wildly._

" _And you will assist me in retrieving the Casket?" he asked, reassuring himself of their deal._

" _I will locate the Jotun in Asgard and request his assistance in gaining you passage into the realm. Give it time, Laufey, patience is truly sacred." She walked over to confirm their deal, extending her hand for a traditional Midgardian handshake, "What do you say?"_

" _You would make a fine Jotun," Laufey nodded to her, impressed by her power. He took her hand and sealed the agreement. "I will wait for the day," he added, his eyes full of mischief and malicious intent._

 _She knew she could never break her promise to the Jotuns since it was the first one she had made, but she didn't think anything negative could arise from creating chaos in the Realm Eternal._

* * *

Loki studied Ana across the table from him, leaning his cheek onto his hand as he contemplated his next move. Chess was not his favorite activity since he could never find a worthy opponent, that is until Anastasia came along. She sat in the large velvet armchair, one leg propped up on the chair with a hand wrapped around it while her other hand gingerly traced her bottom lip. The more he watched her, the more he was entranced by her. Her small gestures revealed much about her that he hadn't noticed, including her habit of tracing her fingers along her neck and jawline, as if unconsciously reassuring herself she was safe.

Her blonde hair hung loosely around her face and he felt the odd desire to push it away so he could see her clearly. It was hard to imagine the maiden before him was gifted and trained to kill. Seeing her now, her blue eyes resting on the chess table, plotting a move that would counter all of his advances, she was someone who felt deeply. The way she watched the sky, spoke her words, and touched the walls showed that she saw the unseeable, that she had the ability to look past all of the evil in the universe, and be true to herself. Anastasia understood the value of silence and of a simple glance or smile. She would meet his eyes for a moment, seeing the thoughts race through his mind, and look away with a slow blink and a faint smile sprawled across her lips.

The night was quickly approaching as the room began to get increasingly dim, but he couldn't stop thinking. Earlier he had stopped at the infirmary to check in on Neena, who was not in great shape after her conflict with Ana, but that was to be expected. The young girl's sass definitely entertained him, but he was unsure of what to do with her. Odin had agreed to notify her father on Midgard of her presence in Asgard, then Frigga ordered him to take her to the dungeons for her own safety. After a short distance and a decent amount of complaints on Neena's part, he ultimately decided to throw her over his shoulder the remainder of the trek.

He remembered their brief exchange as he set her down outside her cell:

"Damn," Neena sighed, "Why does bad shit always happen to me?" she asked aloud as he stopped to set her down.

"'Bad shit,'" he began, "normally happens to those who ask for it," he retorted without thinking. The same moment he said it, he regretted it. Anastasia didn't ask for her life to turn out the way it did and she did not deserve it either. But his ignorance got the better of him and he would not apologize for saying it.

"Not always," she said darkly, pain instantly flashing across her eyes. "Man, it's cold down here. And I'm hungry," she quickly changed the subject to his relief.

"I will have the guards bring you blankets and a warm meal. Does that sound good?" he offered, not sure of exactly how to properly provide for a Midgardian child.

To his horror tears began to form in her eyes, "No, I would rather go home." She gulped, clearly frustrated, "I want to go home. My dad… he's all I have." Her lip began to tremble, on the verge of tears, "Can you take me home? Please?" She looked up at him pleadingly, making him beyond uncomfortable.

Instead of trying to comfort her, he scooted her inside the cell awkwardly, avoiding her saddened eyes, "I'll send for the blankets and food," he told her before exiting the dungeons.

And that was it. In only two minutes she managed to make him uncomfortable.

He moved his pawn forward, which Ana immediately snatched up with her bishop. The focused expression on her face made him wonder whether or not chess was part of her training for strategy with Thanos, since she ignored his stares.

"Anastasia," he leaned forward in his chair, her eyes snapping up at him. He didn't speak once he held her gaze and simply looked at her eyes, wanting to ask her what exactly happened to her. "I think you should speak with Neena," he blurted after several minutes of silence.

She continued to stare at him, searching his eyes for something, feeling as though there was a new distance between them, like she was waiting for something to happen to him. "Why?" she asked quietly.

"You and she are not so different, Darling. You could both use someone who understands," he looked away, moving yet another pawn without hope.

"Sympathy and understanding are not to be confused," she mumbled, taking his bishop with her knight, working on clearing a path to his king. "Suffering is relative, but not one fully understands another, nor should one want to," she trailed off.

Loki rose from his seat, Ana following him from the corner of her eye. "You are not completely honest with me," he said plainly, opening the curtains to the balcony before stepping outside.

"You would be dead if I were," she said solemnly, following him out on the balcony. "My words may be false, but my actions are true," she placed her hand atop his on the railing overlooking Asgard.

"Talk with her, please," he told her sweetly, placing a kiss on her forehead.

He could have sworn she rolled her eyes, but she nodded in agreement. They stood a while longer until she broke the silence, "I've always dreamed of falling." Ana looked over the railing, analyzing the distance to the ground. He could sense there was more to what she said, but he couldn't put a finger on it. "Free of strings and attachments. The only force is that of nature and I am at the disposal of something greater than myself. I want to know where I stand," she continued. There was something that she wasn't telling him, and he didn't want to pry it from her lips unless she willed him to.

"We could borrow a ship if you would like," he offered with a smirk, trying to get her to laugh her charming laugh. She only smirked.

"I'll talk to Neena in the morning," she sighed before retreating into his chambers. He was going to let her leave and retire to her own chambers, but she paused at the door. "May I sleep with you tonight?" she asked, the question absent of any hint of something more than sleep, which he didn't mind.

"Of course," he smiled, watching from the balcony as she used her magic to change into an oversized tunic before she crawled under his sheets, taking off her pendant and setting it on the nightstand and rolling over. It didn't hit him how strange it was that he felt so comfortable with Anastasia, that it seemed normal for her to spend the night casually.

Stepping inside his room he shut the curtains behind him and walked quietly to the other side of the bed, using his magic to change as well into loose black trousers before he joined her. It wasn't that late either, he just wanted to be near her, grabbing her waist and pulling her into him, her back against his chest. He could certainly get used to sharing his bed, her scent filling his head as he drifted to sleep, his arm wrapped around Anastasia.

* * *

Anastasia woke early in the morning, Loki's arm draped across her stomach limply, his face peaceful and dreaming. He was more than handsome, his usually tight lips were parted as he breathed and the tenseness in his jaw dissipated while his black hair was disheveled. She didn't want to leave him, but she slowly raised his arm off of her and snuck out of the bed before slipping out of the door, and cleaning herself up with a swipe of her hand as jean shorts and a loose cyan blue t-shirt adorned her body.

So many thoughts were racing through her mind, the top three being Loki's Jotun heritage, her pendant's mysterious reaction with her blood, and the half-blood Neena. She strode through the halls, bouncing energy between her hands absentmindedly as she pondered further. It was liberating not having to rely on her pendant any longer for 'protection,' but now the task was to find out the true purpose of her accessory. Pausing, the thought hit her: Why was she walking to the dungeons?

The next instant she was outside the main doors to the low security dungeons, impressed by her growing confidence in her abilities. As she pushed the door open she heard Neena's voice, "This is disgusting," she was talking about the food she had tasted. "That's it, when I get home, I'm going vegetarian."

Ana couldn't help herself and walked over to Neena's cell, "I tried that for 30 odd years. It was not one of my favorite experiences." Though it was the truth, the tint of mockery in her voice irked the young girl.

"Well look who it is," Neena began, her sass clear. The raven haired girl pushed her plate of food away and wrapped herself in her blankets thoroughly. "Did your fuck toy let you off your leash?" she grumbled.

The fact that the word 'fuck toy' was used amused Ana immensely, though she was slightly irritated. "Now I could go into a very long and in depth description on everything you are implying, but I'm afraid that won't get us anywhere. That is, unless you would like to hear about those matters?"

"Nope, I'm good," Neena answered quickly. "You're boyfriend tried to explain it, but I don't want to hear about alien sex."

"It isn't much different than any other species. I'd say better, in fact," she trailed off, her mind drifting to her own experiences. She had had relations with many people, but only Loki managed to make her see stars.

Neena flushed, "Are we really having this conversation?" She shifted uncomfortably then sneezed, wiping her nose sloppily, "Can I have another blanket?"

"If you don't want to hear about my sex life, you should probably stop bringing it up," Ana shrugged. Walking up the small steps to the cell and she conjured a blanket as she walked through the forcefield, "The Queen did say you might need this."

"Holy Shit! Did you just walk through a wall? I want to do that! Then I could kick the pirate's ass and get the hell out of here," Neena grinned, taking the blanket greedily and wrapped it around her. "Thanks," she nodded, her straight hair falling in her face before she flipped it away.

"You're welcome," Ana smiled. It was slightly amusing that she created a nest for herself with all of those blankets. "I would advise not trying to walk through that unless you want to be severely burned. It's kinda my thing," she laughed.

"Creepy," Neena eyed her, scooting away slowly as Ana leaned against the white wall at the back of the cell. "You're very weird, Barbie," she commented.

"It has its perks, wouldn't you say?" Ana retorted, glancing at her nails, ignoring the fact that she was called 'Barbie.'

"I guess," Neena glanced at the prisoners across from her cell, "I suppose you aliens aren't as weird as the ones over there."

Ana shrugged, following Neena's gaze, seeing right past them, "Whatever makes you feel better. I've seen a lot of criminals, and those aren't even the worst ones."

"What kind of criminals?" the girl inquired, her attention returning to Ana.

"Some humans, some 'aliens.' The ones who kill and torture. Those kind," she explained vaguely, remembering her experience on another Earth before pushing it to the back of her mind.

"Wow," Neena situated herself further into her nest. "You must have seen a lot of shit."

"I've seen enough shit to last me a thousand lifetimes," she tried to smile, but the pain was not the sort of thing she found pleasurable.

"Aren't we supposed to be enemies or something?" Neena blurted out, confusion written across her face. "I mean, you tried to kill me yesterday," she sneezed again. "Fuck, I think i'm getting a cold. I need more blankets."

"If I was trying we wouldn't be having this conversation now, be grateful. It's a reflex of mine, just as yours is to out curse everyone in the room," she sat down next to Neena's blanket fort.

"It's a habit," she grumbled as she wiped her nose, "I have no filter."

"So we've noticed. And I have a temper. Welcome to AA, Neena," Ana nudged at her. Judging by how Neena flinched from the slight contact, she could tell that Neena still wasn't sure what she should think. It was a fair point considering Ana had almost killed her, but she didn't and that was enough to satisfy herself since she had always been trained to kill.

"I can see you have a temper," a small smile crossed the girl's lips. "Is tall, dark and creepy kinky? It looked like he liked to be slapped."

Anastasia couldn't contain her laugh, "I cannot confirm or deny that. But I will say it takes a certain type of person to be able to care about him." She found it somehow easy to speak with Neena so casually about the topic, granted that they were certainly being sarcastic and sassy to one another. She did care for Loki though, more than anyone she ever had.

"Well he's an asshole. His brother seems nicer," she paused, "Oh shit, he ate the tacos I was supposed to deliver! I am so going to get fired!" Neena's eyes darted frantically around the cell, but she didn't move from her blankets as she fretted over her job.

"I think you have a valid excuse as to why you've been missing work. You should be glad that Thor enjoyed them so much. Tacos are not my personal favorite though," she rambled on, recalling her time in Texas all too vividly.

"Well woopty fucking doo. I am so happy he enjoyed them," Neena grumbled sarcastically. "What does he want? More of them?"

"I'd say he does. Think, if you stay you can open a taco restaurant and bring all that Midgardian food to Asgard. Though, most of it can stay there," she suggested, fighting back the urge to nudge the girl again. It was strange how frail she was compared to herself in form, but it was obvious she was stronger than most Midgardians, regardless of the fact she was part Asgardian.

"Are you kidding me? I burn everything I cook. My Dad has banned me from the stove when I almost set the house on the fire," she smiled, her eyes brightening at the mention of her father before her smile faded. "The stains are still on the ceiling," she mumbled, looking off at nothing.

"Well, I don't know what you were trying to cook, but an evening with Volstagg and you'll have that shit down pat, I guarantee," Ana smiled, trying to brighten the mood since the gloominess was thick enough in the dungeons.

"Is he your other fuck toy?" Neena smirked, teasing eyes looking over at her.

"Gosh no. Loki is not a fan of sharing," she waved off the comment, poorly hiding her agitation. She had only been with Loki once, though it felt like a lifetime.

"I can tell," Neena hid her grin before silence fell between them.

After wondering how she could transition to a new topic, Anastasia conjured a penny in the air, letting it fall into Neena's lap, startling her enough she exited her blanket fort. "Penny for your thoughts?" she managed after she finished laughing.

"Uh, Odin looks like a pirate? And Loki needs to grow his hair out?" she stuttered as she gathered her blankets once more and moved to the corner. "And I want to see my Dad."

"I concur on the former, but I don't even know my father and it has been over 800 years, so I think you can manage," Ana leaned against the cell wall. That is, she thought to herself, if she had a father to begin with, pondering the idea that maybe she just appeared in the universe.

"I don't know who my mom is," Neena wrapped another blanket around herself as she scooted further into the corner. "Dad never talks about her. All I have from her is this ring,"

"Well," Ana thought for a moment. "I guess that makes two of us. You have a ring and I have a pendant," she said absentmindedly, beginning to plan out the rest of her day.

"Shit," Ana looked back to Neena who had apparently hit her head against the wall. "And supposedly she's here on Asgard, but doesn't even want to know where I am. And how am I even going to find her? Fuck this!" the girl huffed, slouching further in her blankets.

"Ideally she would be here," Ana straightened up. "It's always been an unspoken rule that no one is supposed to mess around with humans that way because it creates certain… complications. But if you cooperate while you're here we might actually be able to help you," she explained.

"I don't need anyone's help," Neena grumbled in return. "I can do fine on my own. I have always managed to get by without anyone's help."

"Mhm," Ana nodded, the poor girl echoing her own thoughts from when she was younger. Convincing Neena that it was acceptable to ask for help would be a waste of time if she was as much like her as she thought. Learning the hard way was her only option.

"I refuse to bow to Odin. Fucking pirate," she mumbled.

"I've only done so once, and that's only because I couldn't stand any longer," Ana snickered at the memory, forgetting temporarily how much pain she was in at the time.

"If you're over eight hundred, why don't you look old? What skin products are you using?" Neena interjected.

Ana laughed, rolling her eyes at her curiosity, "We age much slower than humans do. When we get a certain age it is like we stop aging altogether. And since you are a halfling, you might even have this trait."

"Who the hell knows," she grumbled again. "Why are you being nice to me? Did tall, dark and creepy put you up to this?" she inquired after glancing at her suspiciously.

Ana shook her head, "He suggested that I come talk to you, but I came down here of my own accord. Loki isn't exactly good with handling emotions."

"Well no shit," she puffed before giving a cough. "Great, I've got a cold. Why is it so cold down here?" Neena shivered.

"Because you're in the dungeons," Ana offered with an amused smile, moving her hair out of her face as she crossed her legs in front of her. "You have plenty of blankets, so I don't understand why you are this cold."

"I live in New Mexico. It _never_ gets cold in New Mexico. I hate being cold," she vented, pulling her blankets tighter. "How long do I have to stay down here again?"

"Until you acquire some manners and abide by Odin's wishes," Ana replied, raising a brow at mere thought of listening to Odin. She couldn't take the man seriously, yet alone advise another to obey him. "At at the rate you're going, it could be quite a long time. You're not going to win a battle against him, so might I suggest you at least try and do what he says."

Once Neena fully thought over Ana's words she spoke, "I would like to get out of here," she admitted begrudgingly. "What are the rooms here like?"

A smile fell across Ana's lips. Neena's mind worked a mile a minute, just as hers often did. "The beds are luxurious, I'm not exaggerating," she admitted, shrugging. "The rooms are far too fancy for my liking, but I'm not complaining by any means. But the silk is amazing." Her thoughts momentarily drifted to her night shared with Loki, feeling as though she was lying on a cloud drifting through deep space.

"Sure," Neena nodded. There was a moment of silence before her stomach growled, causing Ana to smile again. The girl blushed faintly before clutching her stomach, "Which is safe to eat and won't kill me?"

"No person or thing is going to kill you here," Ana sighed, shaking her head. "I'd have to suggest those green leafy vegetables there and mix it in with the meat. If you get the chance, you must dine with Volstagg. The food here is much more nutritious as well as delicious than what I ate on Midgard. I did my shopping here," she smiled at Neena, her blue eyes looking at her with suspicion, but also with a hint of comfortability. She was making progress.

"Hey, leave McDonald's alone," Neena surprisingly laughed. Her amusement didn't last long as her smile faded and she looked grimly at Ana. "Did they notify my Dad?" she asked quietly.

Ana shook her head. "I don't know," she said softly. "I personally don't hold Odin to his word, but to put yourself at ease you can just assume so."

"And if they didn't?" Neena wondered, worry clear in her eyes

Ana stood up, smoothing out her clothes. "I'll let Frigga know you're willing to cooperate," she ignored the question, not wanting to know the answer herself. "A guard should come retrieve you later and show you to your room. Sound good?"

"Fine," Neena sighed, Anastasia feeling her pained eyes on her back as she exited the dungeons without looking back.


End file.
